A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1438, 1499-1605
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Overdrive, -dryve, v. Also: ower-, ovir- and p.t. -drave, -draif, p.p. -dryven, -drive. [Late north. ME. p.t. ouer drafe (a 1400–50) intr. to pass away (sense 1c below), OE. oferdrifan tr. to drive away, dispel.In the following senses chiefly or only north. and (esp.) Sc. (cf. also Ourdrive v.). Cf. also late ME. ouer-dryue p.p. (a 1450), e.m.E. ouerdryue pres. t. (1551), to drive too hard.]
1. To pass or spend (time). = Ourdrive v. 2. 1528 Lynd. Dreme 32.
More plesandlie the tyme for tyll ouerdryue I haue … the storeis done discryue 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 26.
With ioy I will my tyme ouerdryue a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxix. 26.
But sleeping The nichts I ouerdryve
b. absol. To allow time to elapse; also, to lat overdrive, id. 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 3584.
Bot ȝe throw sleuth dillis doun & latis ouirdriue, Sa day be day ȝour sone is ȝit on liue a1568 Bannatyne MS 264 b/57.
Thus I ouirdraif fra day to day … Quhill of hir luve my langour was gane
c. intr. To pass. 15.. Clariodus iv. 2331.
This night owerdrave, day cumand was anone
d. tr. ? To bring to an end; ? to drive away, dispel. ?1438 Alex. ii. 300.
Ȝour worship hes my dule ouerdryuen
2. tr. To be driven or moved over so as to cover, to be blown over. Cf. Ourdrive v. 2. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2523 (Ch.).
This uedder … followit … With sic ane drift quhill dust and dirt ouerdraif him c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1410.
Quhen vglie cluddis did ouerdryue And dirkynnit so the heuinnis brycht
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"Overdrive v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/overdrive>
