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surmount

sur·mount [ sur mównt ] (past and past participle sur·mount·ed, present participle sur·mount·ing, 3rd person present singular sur·mounts)

transitive verb

Definition:

1. overcome difficulty: to deal with a difficulty successfully

2. get to top of something: to get over the top of a physical obstacle ( formal )

3. be placed atop something: to be positioned on top of something or rise above it ( formal )

the statues surmounting the parapet

4. put something atop something else: to place something on top of or above something ( formal )

surmount the parapet with a row of statues

[14th century. < French surmonter "climb over" < monter "mount" (see mount¹)]

sur·mount·a·bil·i·ty [ sur mòwntə bíllətee ] noun

sur·mount·a·ble [ sur mówntəb'l ] adjective

sur·mount·er [ sur mówntər ] noun

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