over-carefuladj.

1568 L. Vaux Catechisme f. 68 We may mispend the sense of smelling..if we abhorre the poore or sicke, and be ouer carefull, least wee should feele the odour or smel of them.

a1591 H. Smith Serm. (1592) 988 If we bee carefull, wee are ouer carefull.

1600 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 2 iv. iii. 197 The foolish ouer-carefull fathers. View more context for this quotation

1648 J. Cranford in N. Ward To Parl. at Westm. 31 We are not overcarefull, whether we live, or whether we die.

a1668 W. Davenant Lament for Collonel Goring in Wks. (1673) 248 Who there with sullen thoughts, much troubled lies; And chides the over-careful Destinies?

1729 W. Law Serious Call vii. 97 This makes her so over-careful of her health, that she never thinks she is well enough; and so over indulgent, that she never can be really well.

1765 H. Brooke Fool of Quality (Dublin ed.) I. ii. 56 Thus, this over careful Trout kept himself in continual Frights and Alarms, and could neither eat, nor drink, nor sleep in Peace, lest some Mischief should be at Hand.

1816 J. Austen Emma I. xi. 195 She..was delicate in her own health, over-careful of that of her children. View more context for this quotation

1842 H. E. Manning Serm. xxiv. 359 Over-careful about money, or fretful in a low estate.

1886 Dict. National Biogr. VI. 456/2 Eloquent..as many of his speeches are, his perorations often bear the marks of over-careful preparation.

1934 B. Lehmann Rumour of Heaven ii. ii. 52 Tony had a fluting tenor voice and an over-careful enunciation.

1996 Boston Herald (Nexis) 13 June 1 One infamous example of an online provider being overcareful occurred when the service banned a ‘chat room’ that used the word ‘breast’.