overrun

Etymology

over- + run.

verb

  1. To defeat an enemy and invade in great numbers, seizing the enemy positions conclusively.
  2. To infest, swarm over, flow over.
    The vine overran its trellis; the field is overrun with weeds.
    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. November 7, 2012, Matt Bai, “Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds”, in New York Times
  3. To run past; to run beyond.
    The athlete overran the finish line and kept going.
    One line overruns another in length.
    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. To run past the end of.
      The aircraft didn't stop in time and overran the runway.
  4. To continue for too long.
    The performance overran by ten minutes, which caused some people to miss their bus home.
  5. (printing) To carry (some type, a line or column, etc.) backward or forward into an adjacent line or page.
  6. To 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.
  7. To abuse or oppress, as if by treading upon.

noun

  1. An instance of overrunning.
    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 New York Times
    Tesla’s first decade was plagued by unmet deadlines, technical snafus and cost overruns. December 13 2021, Molly Ball, Jeffrey Kluger, Alejandro de la Garza, “Elon Musk: Person of the Year 2021”, in Time Magazine
  2. The amount by which something overruns.
    At least this year's overrun isn't as unmanageable as last year!
  3. (aviation) An 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.
  4. (food) Air 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

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