† overleadv.
Obsolete.
1.
a. transitive. To carry over; to translate.
ΚΠ
OE (Northumbrian) Epist. Jerome to Damasus 2 Scribtura ante translata : writ uel þæt uurit ær oferlæded.
OE (Northumbrian) Liturgical Texts (Durham Ritual) in A. H. Thompson & U. Lindelöf Rituale Ecclesiae Dunelmensis (1927) 66 Oraatio quam..de presenti seculo transtulisti : gibed þæt..of ondueardum uorulde ðu oferlædest.
b. transitive. To move or lead away; (also figurative) to lead astray, mislead. Also (occasionally) intransitive.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > aspects of travel > guidance in travel > show (the way) [verb (transitive)] > lead over or across
overlead?c1225
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > incorrect information > report or state wrongly [verb (transitive)] > lead into error, mislead
dwellc888
forlereOE
beleada1000
forleseOE
misteachOE
undergoc1000
mislearOE
misleadOE
bicharrea1100
bedwelec1205
overlead?c1225
misbihedec1300
miswendc1325
misguyc1375
miscounsel1389
misbeleadc1390
faitc1430
miswrest?a1475
misguide1480
scandalize1538
misadvise1548
misdraw1599
misdirect1603
traduce1613
to throw (also put) off the scenta1637
misswaya1640
undirect1647
mislight1648
widdlea1689
?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 272 Pot þe walleð eauer nule hit beon ouer leden [a1250 Nero ouerladen; a1250 Titus ouerladen] oðer cald water iwarpe þrin & brondes wið draȝene.
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1969) Isa. xxiii. 13 In to caitifte þei ouer-ladden [a1425 L.V. ledden ouer; L. traduxerunt] þe stalworþe men of it.
c1450 How Good Man taught his Son (Lamb.) 63 in Erlanger Beiträge zur Englischen Philol. (1889) 2 38 (MED) Flee al letcherie in wil and dede, Lest þou come to yvel preef, For alle þi wittis it wole overlede And bringe þee into greet myscheef.
1532 Goodly Balade 33 in W. W. Skeat Chaucerian & Other Pieces (1897) 406 Misty cloudes, that wolde overlede Trewe humble hertes with hir mistihede.
1636 T. Heywood Challenge for Beautie (Folger Library, copy 1) ii. sig. Cv Could opportunity have mov'd, words tempted,..or griefes have o'reled [variant copy or guifts prevail'd], Beneath my much importance she had falne.
2.
a. transitive. To overwhelm; to cover over. Also in figurative context.
ΚΠ
OE Blickling Homilies 203 Ða wæs Garganus se munt..mid mycclum brogan & mid ongryslan eall oferlæded.
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) Amos vii. 8 Y shal putte a truel in mydil of my peple Yræl; Y shal no more putte to, for to ouer leede [L. superinducere] hym.
c1450 tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Bodl. Add.) x. 101 (MED) And if olde moos thi meedes ouer lede [L. obduxerit], Let shave it clene away.
b. transitive. To oppress, tyrannize; (also) to humiliate, bully.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > oppression > oppress [verb (transitive)]
ofsiteOE
forthringOE
overlayOE
ofsetOE
to tread down, under foot, in the mire, to the ground, to piecesc1175
overseta1200
defoulc1300
oppressa1382
overpressa1382
overchargec1390
overleadc1390
overliea1393
thringa1400
overcarkc1400
to grind the faces (occasionally face) ofa1425
press?a1425
downthringc1430
vicea1525
tread1526
to hold (also keep, bring, put) one's nose to the grindstonea1533
tyrannizea1533
wring1550
downpress1579
bepress1591
defoil1601
ingrate1604
crush1611
grinda1626
macerate1637
trample1646
c1390 G. Chaucer Monk's Tale 3101 Allas she seith that euere I was shape To wedden a milksop or a coward ape That wol been ouerlad [v.rr. ouere lade, ouerled, ouere ladde] with euery wight.
c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. iii. 314 (MED) Shal neither kynge ne knyȝte, constable ne Meire Ouer-lede þe comune.
Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 373 Ovyr ledyn, or oppressyn, opprimo.
c1450 King Ponthus (Digby) in Publ. Mod. Lang. Assoc. Amer. (1897) 12 123 (MED) They shuld sustene as wele the pouere as the ryche, and that the ryche shuld not ouerlede the pouere.
1543 ( Chron. J. Hardyng (1812) 72 (MED) Oppressours all, that poore menne did ouer lede, He hanged euer.
c. transitive. To conquer, master; to overcome.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > prosperity > success > mastery or superiority > have or gain mastery or superiority over [verb (transitive)] > overcome or overwhelm
overcomeeOE
overgangOE
overnimOE
overswivec1175
foldc1275
overgoc1275
to bear downc1330
oversetc1330
outrayc1390
overleada1393
overreach?a1425
overwhelmc1425
to whelve overc1440
overruna1475
surprise1474
overpress1489
surbatea1500
overhale1531
overbear1535
overcrow1550
disable1582
surgain1586
overpower1597
overman1609
to come over ——1637
to run down1655
overpower1667
compel1697
to get over ——1784
overget1877
to grab (also take) by the balls1934
a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iii. 2364 (MED) He [sc. Alexander] the world so overladde Thurgh werre.
c1450 (c1400) Sowdon of Babylon (1881) 2502 xij fals traytors me overelede And stroyen alle þat I haue.
c1475 (c1450) P. Idley Instr. to his Son (Cambr.) (1935) i. 66 (MED) Lete neuer thy will thy witte ouerlede.
a1500 (?c1450) Merlin 122 For that he may not hem now Iustice and ouerlede.
1543 ( Chron. J. Hardyng (1812) 298 He theim ouerled with warres sore and brym, And theim compelled, in payn of lyfe and lymme, [To] become his men.
a1600 T. Deloney Garland Good Will (1631) i. v The King with lust being ouerled, His lawfull wife he cast off cleane.
3. transitive. To reprove, find fault with, condemn.
ΚΠ
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) Wisd. iv. 20 Þei shul comen in þe thenking of þer synnes dredful & shuln ouerleden hem forn aȝen þe wickedenesses of þem.
?a1443 in Cal. Proc. Chancery Queen Elizabeth (1827) I. p. xxxiii (MED) Wenes these Churles to overlede me or sue the Lawe agayn me?
a1500 in J. Evans & M. S. Serjeantson Eng. Mediaeval Lapidaries (1933) 49 (MED) God almyghty has gyfyn to yis ston suche a vertu yt beres hym is well spekyng, of gud eloquense; &..if he be ouerled with wrong, his ryght sale dolyuer hym.
4. transitive. To rule, govern. rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > rule or govern [verb (transitive)]
steera900
hold971
wieldOE
warda1000
redeOE
wisc1000
i-weldeOE
rightlecheOE
rightOE
raima1325
governc1325
guyc1330
rulea1387
justicec1390
rekea1400
reigna1413
lorda1450
earlc1450
seignoryc1475
over-govern1485
overrulec1488
emperyc1503
gubern?a1505
signorize1594
sway1613
gubernate1623
overlead1720
belord1858
prime minister1906
1720 Humourist 92 Shewing how little his best Actions are overled by what ought to be his Standard of Action.
Derivatives
overleader n. rare an oppressor.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > oppression > [noun] > oppressor
troublera1382
oppressorc1400
overleader1440
oversetter1440
maul?a1475
overlayer1503
stripe1570
Tamerlane?1572
scorchvillein1577
overpressor1610
overcharger1611
deportator1616
mauler1618
mastix1651
trampler1785
oppressionist1828
downpressor1962
Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 373 Ovyrledare (or ovyr settar, infra.), oppressor.
c1450 Jacob's Well (1900) 86 Because he is pruddere, þe more teraunt, þe more ouerledere, þe more cursyd lyvere.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2004; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
<
v.OE