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to overgo

to overgo

9.9
To happen to someone often as bad luck
  • verb
  • /ˌoʊvərˈɡoʊ/
  • Archaic
translation icon : suceder
  • No one could have predicted the hardships that would overgo the travelers on their journey.

Examples

  • A strange fate seemed to overgo the small town every winter.

  • Legends tell of curses that may overgo those who disturb the ancient ruins.

  • The storm will overgo the town tonight.

  • Many challenges overgo those who seek greatness.

  • A strange fate seemed to overgo the small town every winter.

  • Legends tell of curses that may overgo those who disturb the ancient ruins.

  • No one could have predicted the hardships that would overgo the travelers on their journey.

Synonyms

to betide
vsto overgo
  • Archaic
2 9.9

To happen to someone, often in a bad way, used in old or literary language

focuses on events or fate happening to someone rather than general occurrence

How Serious

to befall
  • Formal
33 7.8
to overgo
  • Archaic
9.9
to occur
910 2.1
to happen
1.0

Surface Forms

overgo infinitive
overgoing present participle
overgoes third person singular
overwent past
overgone past participle

Morphology

overgo = go (semi-transparent) = over + go

The sense 'to befall' is a figurative extension of 'over' + 'go' and is not immediately predictable to an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Overgo can also mean 'happen to' and a helpful way to remember this is to think of something 'going over' a person, like an event passing onto them; that's why the word came to mean 'happen to' or 'befall'.