1. [n]  one celestial body obscures another
2. [v]  cause an eclipse of (a celestial body) by intervention; "The Sun eclipses the moon today"; "Planets and stars often are occulted by other celestial bodies"
3. [v]  exceed in importance; outweigh; "This problem overshadows our lives right now"
4. [v]  cause an eclipse of; of celestial bodies; "The moon eclipsed the sun"

Eclipse
After the death of his mother, a failed, aging actor named Alexander Cleave returns to the seaside town where he grew up and tries to come to terms with the disappointments of his life and with the people in it, including his estranged wife and his mentally disturbed daughter. A New York Times Notable Book for 2001.

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1. \E*clipse"\, n. [F. ['e]clipse, L. eclipsis, fr. Gr. ?,
   prop., a forsaking, failing, fr. ? to leave out, forsake; ?
   out + ? to leave. See {Ex-}, and {Loan}.]
   1. (Astron.) An interception or obscuration of the light of
      the sun, moon, or other luminous body, by the intervention
      of some other body, either between it and the eye, or
      between the luminous body and that illuminated by it. A
      lunar eclipse is caused by the moon passing through the
      earth's shadow; a solar eclipse, by the moon coming
      between the sun and the observer. A satellite is eclipsed
      by entering the shadow of its primary. The obscuration of
      a planet or star by the moon or a planet, though of the
      nature of an eclipse, is called an occultation. The
      eclipse of a small portion of the sun by Mercury or Venus
      is called a transit of the planet.
   Note: In ancient times, eclipses were, and among
         unenlightened people they still are, superstitiously
         regarded as forerunners of evil fortune, a sentiment of
         which occasional use is made in literature.
               That fatal and perfidious bark, Built in the
               eclipse, and rigged with curses dark. --Milton.
   2. The loss, usually temporary or partial, of light,
      brilliancy, luster, honor, consciousness, etc.;
      obscuration; gloom; darkness.
            All the posterity of our fist parents suffered a
            perpetual eclipse of spiritual life.  --Sir W.
                                                  Raleigh.
            As in the soft and sweet eclipse, When soul meets
            soul on lovers' lips.                 --Shelley.
   {Annular eclipse}. (Astron.) See under {Annular}.
   {Cycle of eclipses}. See under {Cycle}.
   

2. \E*clipse"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Eclipsed}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Eclipsing}.]
   1. To cause the obscuration of; to darken or hide; -- said of
      a heavenly body; as, the moon eclipses the sun.
   2. To obscure, darken, or extinguish the beauty, luster,
      honor, etc., of; to sully; to cloud; to throw into the
      shade by surpassing. ``His eclipsed state.'' --Dryden.
            My joy of liberty is half eclipsed.   --Shak.
   

3. \E*clipse"\, v. i.
   To suffer an eclipse.
         While the laboring moon Eclipses at their charms.
                                                  --Milton.
   

A Prolog + CLP compiler from ECRC.

of the sun alluded to in Amos 8:9; Micah 3:6; Zech. 14:6; Joel 2:10. Eclipses were regarded as tokens of God's anger (Joel 3:15; Job 9:7). The darkness at the crucifixion has been ascribed to an eclipse (Matt. 27:45); but on the other hand it is argued that the great intensity of darkness caused by an eclipse never lasts for more than six minutes, and this darkness lasted for three hours. Moreover, at the time of the Passover the moon was full, and therefore there could not be an eclipse of the sun, which is caused by an interposition of the moon between the sun and the earth.