Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Overly, adv. Also: overlye, -lie. [e.m.E. overly (a 1564), -lie, late ME. ovyrly (c 1440) superficially; also OE. oferlíce excessively.] Superficially, cursorily, casually, carelessly; also, incidentally. — 1646 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 71.
The samen being but overlie red to thame yesternight they did not conceaue the deipe of the draucht thairof 1672 Mackenzie Pleadings 13.
Where many answers are to be made to one argument, the weakest is ordinarily first made, and as it were overlye a 1678 McCrie Mem. Veitch 407.
These things … he had been very overly speaking of 1676 Fife Synod 193.
[The synod believes] that the privie censure in presbitries may be gone about too overlie 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 371.
Overly and slightly — 1681 M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. II. 276.
It is impossible for witnesses that are but overly required, to remember … , not having subscribed the instrument