overrun

present singular third person overruns · participle present overrunning · past overran · alternative over-run

1. transitiveTo defeat an enemy and invade in great numbers, seizing the enemy positions conclusively.

   But news that the North Vietnamese had launched an invasion more akin to the blitzkrieg of Poland than to a Maoist "people's war," and had overrun my old base camp 30 miles up Thunder Road from Saigon, turned my heart to lead.

   2000 April 26, Walter A. McDougall, “Who Were We in Vietnam?”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 27 May 2015, retrieved 03 Aug 2008

2. transitiveTo infest, swarm over, flow over.

   The cathedral square was overrun with tourists.

   3 more examples

   The vine overran its trellis; the field is overrun with weeds.

   those barbarous nations that over-ran the world

   1596 (date written; published 1633), Edmund Spenser, A Vewe of the Present State of Irelande […], Dublin: […] Societie of Stationers, […], →OCLC; republished as A View of the State of Ireland […] (Ancient Irish Histories), Dublin: […] Society of Stationers, […] Hibernia Press, […] [b]y John Morrison, 1809, →OCLC

   As President Obama turns his attention once again to filling out a cabinet and writing an Inaugural Address, this much is clear: he should not expect to bask in a surge of national unity, or to witness a crowd of millions overrun the Mall just to say they were there.

   2012 November 7, Matt Bai, “Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 07 May 2021

3. transitiveTo run past; to run beyond.

   One line overruns another in length.

   3 more examples

   The athlete overran the finish line and kept going.

   Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Samuel 18:23

   The collision occurred when an up empty electric train travelling on the up main through line overran the inner home signal and rammed the side of the departing 6.14 p.m. Waterloo-Weymouth steam train, which was leaving platform 12 for the down main through line.

   1961 March, “Talking of trains”, in Trains Illustrated, page 138

   1. transitiveTo run past the end of.

      The aircraft didn't stop in time and overran the runway.

4. intransitiveTo continue for too long.

   The performance overran by ten minutes, which caused some people to miss their bus home.

   Synonyms: run over

5. transitivemediaTo carry (some type, a line or column, etc.) backward or forward into an adjacent line or page.

   Synonyms: run over

6. transitiveTo go beyond; to extend in part beyond.

   In machinery, a sliding piece is said to overrun its bearing when its forward end goes beyond it.

   1 more example

   all of these services, including mSpy, function with the same kind of predatory subscription scheme, luring you in with free trials that autorenew as abhorrently expensive monthly or yearly subscriptions. canceling the service requires reaching out to support, so users are typically unable to avoid overrunning the trial.

   2024 June 9, maia arson crimew, “israeli national police found trying to purchase stalkerware”, in maia blog, archived from the original on 23 Aug 2024

7. transitiveTo abuse or oppress, as if by treading upon.

   None of them the feeble overren.

   1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 9

   1 more example

   Fortunately, in April 1979, Congress codified the United States' support for the brave people of the Republic of China with the passage of the Taiwan Relations Act. This gave our friends the cover to develop the vibrant economy and flourishing democracy we see today and prevented them from being overrun by the same tyrants who are now in the process of eradicating democracy in Hong Kong.

   2005, Jesse Helms, “Jimmy Carter”, in Here's Where I Stand: A Memoir, New York: Random House, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, pages 106–107

   Synonyms: run over

plural overruns · alternative over-run

1. countableuncountableAn instance of overrunning.

   Tesla’s first decade was plagued by unmet deadlines, technical snafus and cost overruns.

   2021 December 13, Molly Ball, Jeffrey Kluger, Alejandro de la Garza, “Elon Musk: Person of the Year 2021”, in TIME, archived from the original on 13 Dec 2021

   1 more example

   Some of the stadiums being built for the World Cup soccer tournament, scheduled for next year, have also been criticized for delays and cost overruns, and have become subjects of derision as protesters question whether they will become white elephants.

   2013 June 18, Simon Romero, “Protests Widen as Brazilians Chide Leaders”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 11 Aug 2020

   1. countableuncountablemediaA turnover: a break to a new line by text flowing within the column.

      Synonyms: runover

2. countableuncountableThe amount by which something overruns.

   At least this year's overrun isn't as unmanageable as last year!

3. countableuncountableaeronauticsAn area of terrain beyond the end of a runway that is kept flat and unobstructed to allow an aircraft that runs off the end of the runway to stop safely.

   The runway has 7,000 feet of paved surface, plus a 2,000-foot grass overrun.

   Synonyms: runway safety area, stopway

4. countableuncountablefoodAir that is whipped into a frozen dessert to make it easier to serve and eat.

   If ice cream has too much overrun, it will be airy and foamy and will lack flavor.

   2004, Wayne Gisslen, Professional Baking, page 497