overcome

Overcome comes from Middle English overcomen, from Old English ofercuman, meaning to conquer, subdue, or overtake. It's built from over- plus come, so the word literally pictures 'coming over' an obstacle or foe.

Old English ofercuman carried a wide range of senses — subdue, compel, obtain, attain, reach — showing an old idea of 'coming over' something that covered both physical overtaking and gaining mastery. Modern English has narrowed this mostly to the sense of prevailing over a difficulty or opponent.

It shares its shape and sense with Dutch overkomen, German überkommen, Danish overkomme, and Swedish överkomma, all built the same way from 'over' plus a form of 'come.'