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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

OWERTAK, v. Also owertake (Sc. 1823 Lockhart Reg. Dalton III. 194), owertakk, owretak (Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxii.), owrtack (Sc. 1818 Sawers), o(v)ertak (Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 32). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. overtake. See Tak. [ʌu(ə)r′tɑk]

1. As in Eng. Pa.p. owertaen (Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 30; Ags. 1869 R. Leighton Poems 340).m.Sc. 1991 Tom Scott in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 42:
'Gin thon het blade he raise again abuin me,
Lang or it faas daeth'll hae owretaen me!'. Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 63:
Sae I cam back at him, "Mebbe ay, mebbe no. Bit I winted tae owertakk, an I couldna. Yon's aa there is till't."

2. To acquire, learn, become the master of (Sh. 1964).Ayr. 1892 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 185:
I'm blyth to say that I hae airts, Whilk I owretook in foreign pairts.

3. To catch up on a piece of work or business when short of time (Sc. 1825 Jam.). Obs. in Eng. in 17th c. but appar. reintroduced from Sc.Sc. 1752 J. Louthian Form of Process 237:
Straitened in point of Time, so that they could not overtake the whole Trials.Sc. 1856 J. C. Maxwell Life (1882) 255:
I have two or three stiff bits of work to get through this term here, and I hope to overtake them.Sc. 1893 Stevenson Catriona ii.:
It's a job you could doubtless overtake with the other.Bwk. 1900 A. Thomson Thornlea 21:
That can be easily be owerta'en.

4. To overcome one's strength or wits, stupefy, confound, non-plus, gen. in ppl.adj. owertane, disordered, deranged, made helpless, overcome, specif. with liquor (m.Sc. 1900; Per. 1964).Wgt. 1701 Session Bk. Penninghame (1933) I. 67:
She acknouledged to him she was overtaken with drink at the clachan lately so as to impede her speech.Mry. 1756 Session Papers, Cramond v. Allan (17 Dec.) 44:
Being overtaken with drink, he left his cane in said garden-chamber that night.Sc. 1771 Smollett H. Clinker Melford to Phillips (8 Aug.):
Archy M'Alpine, when he happens to be overtaken . . . reads me a long lecture upon temperance.Sc. 1816 Scott Antiquary xl.:
It's a sad thing to see human nature sae far owertaen as to be skirling at auld sangs.Ags. 1821 Montrose Chron. (2 March) 71:
Her goodman is now and then “o'ertaen in drink.”Ayr. 1822 Galt Provost xxxvi.:
At first I was confounded and overtaken, and could not speak.Sc. 1837 G. Outram Lyrics 99:
His houghs are gane, he's a' owertane, An' fushionless as a wether.Abd. 1882 G. Macdonald Castle Warlock vii.:
It was easy to think he micht hae been ance at last ower sair owertaen to win hame.Dmb. 1894 D. MacLeod Past Worthies 173:
Did ye, ye ill-faured loon, an' frail stoop o' the Kirk, gang and tell Mrs Malagrowther that I was oft'ner than ance o'erta'en wi' liquor?