1567 W. Painter Palace of Pleasure II. iv. f. 25^v He woulde not onely compare, but also goe about to ouertoppe him in things vndecent.

1581 R. Mulcaster Positions xliii. 275 So the height of their argument ouertop not their power.

1627 T. Newman Andrian Woman i. i. 2 Crosse none, nor proudly seeke to ouertop His young companions: so that easily He got him friends and praise; yet without enuie.

a1680 S. Charnock Several Disc. Existence of God (1682) 591 None can over-top him in Goodness.

1709 Tatler No. 85. ⁋1 A distant Imitation of a forward Fop, and a Resolution to over-top him in his Way, are the distinguishing Marks of a Dapper.

1747 T. Carte Gen. Hist. Eng. I. 176 This prince much over-topping the other Scotch chieftains in power.

1756 J. Brown Athelstan i. i. 2 Ere since I won full Glory from our Wars, He checks my Valour, left it should o'ertop, And shadow his.

1876 J. R. Lowell Among my Bks. 2nd Ser. 276 In them the man somehow overtops the author.

1892 A. Conan Doyle Adventures Sherlock Holmes ii. 41 The comical side of the affair so completely overtopped every other consideration that we both burst out into a roar of laughter.

1943 J. W. Day Farming Adventure xvii. 192 All bids were overtopped by the undefeatable broad Norfolk of an aircraftman who bought recklessly.

1992 Weekly Law Rep. 11 Dec. 1043 The cost of providing a service is balanced or overtopped by amounts received for the service.

1584 B. R. tr. Herodotus Famous Hyst. i. f. 41^v The Persians long since moued with disdayne to see themselues ouertopped and kept vnder by the Medes.

1587 in T. Norton tr. J. Calvin Inst. Christian Relig. (new ed.) iv. xi. f. 408^v (margin) The time when the Pope began first to ouertop the emperour.

1596 A. Copley Fig for Fortune 12 What though he were a Traitor in so doing, Tis statelie done to ouer-top a King.

1601 F. Godwin Catal. Bishops of Eng. 121 By and by he ouertopped the Archbishop, and quickly wound him out of all authority.

1649 J. Milton Εικονοκλαστης xxviii. 234 If Kings presume to overtopp the Law by which they raigne for the public good.

1660 R. Burney Κέρδιστον Δῶρον 80 He is curst in his Mothers Belly that would over-top such Princes, and bring their heads under his Girdle.

1853 G. Grote Hist. Greece XI. ii. lxxxv. 199 That intense antipathy against a despot who overtops and overrides the laws.

1881 H. James Portrait of Lady III. v. 64 What she wanted to learn now was whether Isabel had drawn herself up; it would give her immense pleasure to see Osmond overtopped.

1970 G. Woodcock Odysseus ever Returning 20 MacLennan suggests..the fear that always seems to overtop hope in the hearts of his Cape Bretoners.

1578 W. Bourne Treasure for Traueilers i. viii. f. 16^v You may knowe whether one ship be higher of boorde then the other, and also whether the one ship dooth ouertop the other ship,..by the quoting of the Horizon vpon both the ships.

1593 A. Chute Beawtie Dishonoured 46 So I vnto the low was made the nighest Whilst now I thought I ouertopt the highest.

1611 J. Davies in J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. (new ed.) 815 Lo heer, a Monvment admir'd of all..O'retopping Enuie's clowds.

1622 R. Hawkins Observ. Voiage South Sea xxxiv. 84 The crabbed mountaines which over-topped it.

1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Æneis i, in tr. Virgil Wks. 222 When in the Dance the graceful Goddess leads The Quire of Nymphs, and overtops their Heads. Known by her Quiver, and her lofty Meen.

1740 D. Hume Treat. Human Nature III. i. 21 An oak..by the dropping of its seed..it produces a sapling below it, which..at last overtops and destroys the parent tree.

1785 W. Cowper Task i. 558 I see a column of slow-rising smoke O'ertop the lofty wood.

1789 R. Gough in tr. W. Camden Britannia III. 32 The castle is large, the outer walls standing on a pleasant ascent from the river, but much overtopt by an high hill.

1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. xviii. 173 He..showed his brazen forehead, overtopped by a wig worth fifty guineas, in the ante-chambers.

1904 J. London Sea-wolf xvii. 163 The wave overtopped the Ghost, and I gazed sheer up and into it.

1987 Engin. News-Record (Nexis) 27 Aug. 15 The aim of the work is to ensure that a natural lake..does not overtop the dam and flood the area.

2002 Southland (N.Z.) Times (Nexis) 11 Dec. 12 Many older people lay in bed fearful the river would overtop the floodbanks that were built to protect the town.

1870 M. Reid White Squaw ix. 33 In the centre of the group was a large building, which..far o'ertopped over the others.

2007 T. Q. Li et al. in J. M. Smith Coastal Engin. 2006 I. 674 The waves overtop over a vertical barrier in front of a pier.