Overcome vs Better - What's the difference?
overcome | better |
To surmount (a physical or abstract obstacle); to prevail over, to get the better of.
:to overcome enemies in battle
*Spenser
*:This wretched woman overcome / Of anguish, rather than of crime, hath been.
*1898 , , (Moonfleet), Ch.4:
*:By and by fumes of brandy began to fill the air, and climb to where I lay, overcoming the mouldy smell of decayed wood and the dampness of the green walls.
(obsolete) To win (a battle).
*:
*:Ther with all cam kyng Arthur but with a fewe peple and slewe on the lyfte hand and on the ryght hand that wel nyhe ther escaped no man / but alle were slayne to the nombre of xxx M / And whan the bataille was all ended the kynge kneled doune and thanked god mekely / and thenne he sente for the quene and soone she was come / and she maade grete Ioye of the ouercomynge of that bataille
To win or prevail in some sort of battle, contest, etc.
:
*
, chapter=2, title= (usually in passive) To overwhelm with emotion.
:
To come or pass over; to spread over.
*Shakespeare
*:And overcome us like a summer's cloud.
To overflow; to surcharge.
:
(good)
* {{quote-video, date = 2002-11-01
, title =
, episode =
, number = 4
, passage = Badger:'' You think you're better''' than other people.
''Mal:'' Just the ones I'm ' better than. }} (well)
larger, greater
* 1901 , ,
More, in reference to value, distance, time, etc.
To improve.
* Wordsworth
* Thackeray
* Macaulay
To become better; to improve.
To surpass in excellence; to exceed; to excel.
* Hooker
To give advantage to; to support; to advance the interest of.
* Milton
(slang) Had better.
An entity, usually animate, deemed superior to another; one who has a claim to precedence; a superior.
* Hooker
As verbs the difference between overcome and better
is that overcome is to surmount (a physical or abstract obstacle); to prevail over, to get the better of while better is to improve.As an adjective better is
(good).As an adverb better is
.As a noun better is
an entity, usually animate, deemed superior to another; one who has a claim to precedence; a superior or better can be .overcome
English
Verb
The Mirror and the Lamp, passage=That the young Mr. Churchills liked—but they did not like him coming round of an evening and drinking weak whisky-and-water while he held forth on railway debentures and corporation loans. Mr. Barrett, however, by fawning and flattery, seemed to be able to make not only Mrs. Churchill but everyone else do what he desired. And if the arts of humbleness failed him, he overcame you by sheer impudence.}}
References
* *better
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) better, bettre, betre, from (etyl) .Adjective
(head)''Mal:'' Just the ones I'm ' better than. }}
Derived terms
* better dead than red * better half * better off * betterness * better part of * get betterAdverb
(head)- “I’ve had enough of cycling with you chaps. I can spend my Sundays better than in tormenting cats and quarrelling and fighting.”
- ten miles and better
Derived terms
* had better * 'd betterVerb
(en verb)- Love betters what is best.
- He thought to better his circumstances.
- the constant effort of every man to better himself
- (Carlyle)
- The works of nature do always aim at that which can not be bettered .
- Weapons more violent, when next we meet, / May serve to better us and worse our foes.
- You better do that if you know what's good for you.
Derived terms
* betterer * bettermentSynonyms
* See alsoNoun
(en noun)- He quickly found Ali his better in the ring.
- Their betters would hardly be found.