Successfully dealing with a problem or difficulty; conquering something that was standing in your way.
From Old English 'overcuman,' combining 'over' (beyond, across) and 'cuman' (to come). Originally meant to come upon or fall upon, then evolved to mean to conquer or defeat through struggle.
The phrase 'I shall overcome' became the anthem of the Civil Rights Movement, giving the word 'overcome' enormous emotional power beyond its simple definition of beating a problem.
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