the Boston Marathon was run over a course of only 40.6km

[GoldfishLord]

Performances achieved in Košice always had the hallmark of credibility because since 1924 the course has regularly been remeasured to ensure it conforms with the now standard distance of 42.195km. This has not always been true elsewhere – as late as 1956 the Boston Marathon was run over a course of only 40.6km.

Source: https://aims-worldrunning.org/articles/2193-100-years-of-the-kosice-peace-marathon.html

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What's the meaning of "over"?

 

[Tarheel]

The word "over" has its usual meaning there.

The relevant phrase is "over a course of of only 40.6km".

That's how long the course was -- 40.6km.

 

[GoldfishLord]

Does it mean roughly "along"?

 

[Tarheel]

I suppose you can use one word instead of the other.

 

[jutfrank]

It means the runners ran a distance of 40.6 kilometres. This distance was a span. The preposition over is used in this way for time spans as well as spatial ones:

over the course of three days
over a two-week period
etc.

 

[GoldfishLord]

It means the runners ran a distance of 40.6 kilometres. This distance was a span. The preposition over is used in this way for time spans as well as spatial ones:

over the course of three days
over a two-week period
etc.

When police drove by the home, a man later identified as Terrence Deangelo Brock took off running, the report said. As he ran, an officer saw Brock tuck a black handgun in his waistband.
Officers later caught Brock and found marijuana in a baggie in Brock's pocket, the report said.
The officers then went back over the path that Brock fled from and found an AK-47 with two 30-clip magazine, the handgun that Brock had concealed at the beginning of the chase and other ammunition, the report said.

Source: MLive https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/2016/10/a_look_at_how_flint_police_hav.html

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I know what that sentence means. However, I'd like to learn more about "over".
It seems to me that that "over" is different in meaning and that it means "along".

What exactly does "over" mean?

 

[Piscean]

What exactly does "over" mean?

You are still trying to find the exact meaning of words in terms of other words. This seems to be a pointless exercise - you say you know what the sentence means. That is the important thing.

 

[GoldfishLord]

I wonder what word is closest in meaning to "over". That might help me improve my English.

 

[emsr2d2]

I wonder what word is closest in meaning to "over".

There isn't one.

That might help me improve my English.

It won't.

 

[teechar]

To go over something means to examine it in closer detail.

go over

1. → go down 2. to examine or look at something in a careful or detailed way…

dictionary.cambridge.org

 

[Piscean]

To go over something means to examine it in closer detail.

Not in this sentence: The officers then went back over the path that Brock fled from and found an AK-47 ...

 

[jutfrank]

I know what that sentence means. However, I'd like to learn more about "over".
It seems to me that that "over" is different in meaning and that it means "along".

First of all, as we've said before, you should never say that one preposition means another. That completely misses the idea that different prepositions always have different meanings.

I wonder what word is closest in meaning to "over". That might help me improve my English.

No. You don't need an alternative word. You need a key idea to help you unlock the meaning.

What exactly does "over" mean?

That's the right question.

It's essentially the same basic sense as in the marathon example. The key idea here is 'covering'. When the runners ran the marathon, they 'covered' a distance of 40 km. When the police searched the path, they 'covered' the area. When you cover somewhere, you go from one end or one side to the other end or other side.

 

[GoldfishLord]

You are still trying to find the exact meaning of words in terms of other words. This seems to be a pointless exercise - you say you know what the sentence means. That is the important thing.

What's the reason "say" was used instead of "said"?

 

[SoothingDave]

Weird to see this in km. A marathon is 26 miles and change (385 yards).

 

[Piscean]

What's the reason "say" was used instead of "said"?

Because I felt like it!

 

[emsr2d2]

What's the reason "say" was used instead of "said"?

@GoldfishLord I think you're going to tie yourself up in knots if you start to question the use of every word in every sentence we post. Ask yourself two questions:
1. Do I understand the meaning of the sentence?
2. Does it really matter, in terms of comprehension, whether the writer used one word or another?

 

[GoldfishLord]

I think that It matters, in terms of comprehension, whether Piscean used "say" or "said".

you say you know what the sentence means

"Say" could mean something similar to "argue".

 

[Skrej]

Not in this sentence: The officers then went back over the path that Brock fled from and found an AK-47 ...

I have to agree with teechar. In the context of police examining a crime scene, I think 'go back over' does mean (or certainly could mean) 'review in detail', rather that 'cover the distance again'.

My initial instinct was to comment that GoldfishLord shouldn't be trying to compare the use of 'over' (covering a span) in the first post with his example of police going back over the path of the chase in post#6, because of the difference in meaning and use. The OP uses 'over' as an adverb, whereas with the police example I consider it a phrasal verb.

I can also see the police 'going back over' the path to mean they repeated walking the span of the course, but since they're doing so to look for evidence, I favor the phrasal verb 'careful review' interpretation.

Regardless, I don't think it's a useful comparison for GFL

 

[jutfrank]

What's the reason "say" was used instead of "said"?

To be fair, I think this is a very reasonable question, though it might warrant a new thread.

 

[Tarheel]

Well, you always have to decide how much time you want to spend on something.

Are we making any progress on this one?

(It's 11:36pm here. I will wait awhile for an answer.)