- to rove over (a country, region, etc.); invade; ravage: a time when looting hordes had overrun the province.
- to swarm over in great numbers, as animals, especially vermin; infest: The house had been overrun by rats.
- to spread or grow rapidly over, as plants, especially vines, weeds, etc.: a garden overrun with weeds.
- to attack and defeat decisively, occupying and controlling the enemy's position; overwhelm.
- to spread rapidly throughout, as a new idea or spirit: a rekindling of scholarship that had overrun Europe.
- to run or go beyond, as a certain limit: The new jet overran the landing field.
- to exceed, as a budget or estimate: to overrun one's allotted time.
- to run over; overflow: During the flood season, the river overruns its banks for several miles.
- Printing.
- to print additional copies of (a book, pamphlet, etc.) in excess of the original or the usual order.
- to carry over (type or words) to another page.
- Nautical.
- to sail past (an intended stopping or turning point) by accident.
- (of a ship) to complete (a schedule of calls) more rapidly than anticipated.
- to outrun; overtake in running.
- to run over; overflow: a stream that always overruns at springtime.
- to exceed the proper, desired, or normal quantity, limit, order, etc.: Do you want to overrun on this next issue?
- an act or instance of overrunning.
- an amount in excess; surplus: an overrun of 10,000 copies of a new book.
- the exceeding of estimated costs in design, development, and production, especially as estimated in a contract: a staggering overrun on the new fighter plane.
- the amount exceeded: an overrun of $500,000 for each fighter plane.
- a run on an item of manufacture beyond the quantity ordered by a customer and often offered at a discount.
- the amount by which the volume of a food, as butter or ice cream, is increased above the original volume by the inclusion of air, water, or another substance: With only a 20 percent overrun, this is an excellent ice cream.
- to attack or invade and defeat conclusively
- to swarm or spread over rapidly
- to run over (something); overflow
- to extend or run beyond a limit
- (of an engine) to run with a closed throttle at a speed dictated by that of the vehicle it drives, as on a decline
- (tr)
- to print (a book, journal, etc) in a greater quantity than ordered
- to print additional copies of (a publication)
- to transfer (set type and other matter) from one column, line, or page, to another
- to run faster than
- the act or an instance of overrunning
- the amount or extent of overrunning
- the number of copies of a publication in excess of the quantity ordered
- the cleared level area at the end of an airport runway