Overcome, v. t. [imp. Overcame; p. p. Overcome; p. pr & vb. n. Overcoming.]
Etymology: [AS. ofercuman. See Over, Come, and cf. Supervene.]
1. To get the better of; to surmount; to conquer; to subdue; as, to overcome enemies in battle. This wretched woman overcome Of anguish, rather than of crime, hath been. Spenser.
2. To overflow; to surcharge. [Obs.] J. Philips.
3. To come or pass over; to spreads over. [Obs.] And overcome us like a summer's cloud. Shak.
Syn. -- To conquer; subdue; vanquish; overpower; overthrow; overturn; defeat; crush; overbear; overwhelm; prostrate; beat; surmount. See Conquer.
1 other Webster entry under this spelling
Overcome, v. i.
To gain the superiority; to be victorious. Rev. iii. 21.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for overcome; he lists it under beat, conquer.
Where he writes about it:
To defeat an enemy is to gain an advantage for the time; to vanquish is to win a signal victory; to conquer is to overcome so effectually that the victory is regarded as final. — from conquer