overpass
overpass Lexical Profile
overpass Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A bridge or elevated structure by which a road, railway, or pedestrian walkway passes over another road or railway.
"Traffic backed up for miles before the highway overpass due to ongoing lane construction."
• verb
To pass over, cross, or traverse an obstacle, boundary, or expanse.
"The newly constructed expressway overpasses the railroad tracks just south of the station."
To exceed, surpass, or go beyond a certain limit, standard, or degree.
"The total cost of the restoration soon overpassed the committee's initial budget estimates."
To leave unnoticed, overlook, or omit from consideration (now formal or literary).
"In his haste to summarize the treatise, the historian overpassed several crucial letters."
Word Nuance & Usage
In American and Canadian English, 'overpass' is the standard term for a bridge carrying one road over another, whereas British English typically favors 'flyover'.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in Middle English as a verb from the prefix 'over-' and 'pass'; the modern noun sense referring to an elevated road or railway bridge emerged in the late 19th century with the expansion of rail and highway networks.