| 释义 |
▪ I. over, adv.|ˈəʊvə(r)|
Forms: α. 1–3 ofer, (1 ofor, 3 Orm. oferr, offr), 2–7 ouer, 3– over, (4 ouur, ouver, owver, 4–5 ouir, -yr, -ere, -ire, 4–6 ovir, -yr). β. north. Eng. and Sc. 4– ower, (4–5 owur, owyr, 4–6 our, oure, 6– owre). γ. contr. 4 or, (6 ore, 7–8 o're), 6– o'er. The contracted form o'er |ɔə(r)| is now poetic and rhetorical.
[Com. Teut.: OE. ofer adv. and prep. = OFris. over, OS. oƀar, (MDu., MLG., Du., LG. over), OMG. obar (MG. ober), OHG. ubar prep., ubiri adv. (MHG. über, Ger. über, ober), ON. yfer adv. and prep. (Sw. öfver, Da. over), Goth. ufar prep. and adv. prefix, = Gr. ὑπέρ, Skr. upari adv. and prep., locative form of upara adj. ‘over, higher, more advanced, later’, comparative formation from upa, in Teut. ufa-, uf-, whence the adverbial ufan (see ovenon, anoven), and be-ufan, bufan, with the compound a-bufan, above. Over was thus in origin an old comparative of the element ufa, ove, in ab-ove. Besides its uses as a separate word, over- is in all the Teut. langs. an important adverbial prefix: see over-.]
I. With sense Above, and related notions.
1. a. Above, on high.
The first quot. shows the adv. becoming prepositional: ‘be to us the brightness over’, i.e. be the brightness over us.
c1000Ags. Ps. (Th.) lxxxix. 19 Wese us beorhtnes ofer bliðan Drihtnes ures. a1300Cursor M. 21639 Ouer and vnder, right and left, In þis compas godd all has left. 1819Byron Juan i. cliii, Search them under, over.
†b. Above on a page; on a previous page.
1456Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 33 We have our sene how the kirk and the cristyn faith has bene.
c. After hang, project, jut, lean, and the like (in reference to the space beneath: see over prep. 1); hence ellipt. projecting, leaning, or bent forward and downward (quot. 1887).
1546Langley Pol. Verg. De Invent. iii. x. 77 a, The plomline whereby the Euenes of the Squares bee tried whether they batter or hang ouer. 1780–1836J. Mayne Siller Gun in Chambers Pop. Scot. Poems (1862) 132 Beneath yon cliff, high beetling ower, Is chaste Diana's Maiden-Bower. 1869Sir F. Fitzwygram Horses & Stables (1901) ix. lx. §901 Horses, which stand over at the knees, generally do so from effect of severe and constant work. 1880C. B. Berry Other Side 244 The ship is so beamy that she don't heel over much. 1887Mrs. J. H. Riddell Nun's Curse I. iv. 66 The knight's knees were a little ‘over’, after the fashion of a horse that has been hard driven. a1904Mod. Don't lean over too far, or you'll fall over.
2. a. Above so as to cover the surface, or so as to affect the whole surface: with such verbs as brush, cover, clothe, daub, dust, furrow, paint, plaster, powder, rub, scribble, strew, stud, sweep, varnish. See also all over 1.
c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) viii. 29 A faire kirk all ouer whyte blaunched. a1440Sir Degrev. 1470 The floure was..overe keveryd with a pal. 1567Gude & Godlie Ball. (S.T.S.) 50 And war the warld..Cled ouer with gold. a1611Beaum. & Fl. Maid's Trag. i. i, She..will..make her maids Pluck 'em [flowers], and strew her over like a corse. 1667Milton P.L. viii. 83 Gird the Sphear With Centric and Eccentric scribl'd o're. 1701Rowe Amb. Step-moth. i. i, Thy function too will varnish o're our Arts. 1871R. Ellis Catullus lxiv. 293 Whereto the porch wox green, with soft leaves canopied over. 1891Leeds Mercury 27 Apr. 4/7 The..sleeves studded thickly over with tiny silver sequins.
b. to be (someone) all over: to be very characteristic of (that person); to be exactly what one might expect of (someone specified). Also transf.
1721R. Palmer Let. 31 Aug. in M. M. Verney Verney Lett. (1930) II. xxiv. 90 [Mr. Churchill is] Vulponi all over. 1799C. Lamb Let. 20 Mar. (1935) I. 153 The last stanza hath nothing striking in it, if I except the two concluding lines, which are Burns all over. 1821Scott Pirate II. v. 114, I see where you would be—this is Sebastian and Dorax all over. 1852[see all over advb. phr. 1 a]. 1863J. S. Mill Let. 22 Nov. (1910) I. 310 This is Spencer all over; he throws himself with a certain deliberate impetuosity into the last new theory. 1898J. D. Brayshaw Slum Silhouettes 14 Ah! gal, that's married life all over—fight and agree, fight and agree! 1906Galsworthy Man of Property ii. xii. 257 That's Phil all over—he was always like that. 1913A. Bennett Regent ii. viii. 249 He's his father all over, that lad is! 1945H. Closs High are Mountains 56 It was old Longshanks all over to send one off on some futile errand. 1973A. Holden Girl on Beach 37, I could have killed Dick when he..said he'd asked these two men to dinner, but that's Dick all over of course, just expects me to cope.
II. With sense To or on the other side.
3. Indicating a motion or course that passes or crosses above something, usually rising on one side and descending on the other; as to climb, jump, run, flow, boil over, to look over, shoot over, throw something over; sometimes (b) esp. with the sense of passing above and beyond, instead of reaching or hitting, and so fig. of going beyond, exaggeration.
c893K. ælfred Oros. v. xii. §8 He eode to ðære burᵹe wealle, and fleah ut ofer. a1225Ancr. R. 266 Nule he nout, he seið, wenden ouer, auh wule sitten ful ueste. c1440Promp. Parv. 43/1 Boilyn ouyr, as pottys on the fire. 1560Bible (Genev.) Ps. xxiii. 5 My cup runneth ouer. 1641French Distill. ii. (1651) 50 Distill them..and there will come over a water of no small vertue. 1724De Foe Mem. Cavalier (1840) 99 The king..lays over his bridge. 1841Marryat Poacher i, If we were to toss him..over the bridge..Shall we over with him? a1904Mod. Climb over into the garden. Jump over and escape. There is a high wall to prevent people seeing over into the grounds.
(b)1599Shakes. Hen. V, iii. vii. 133 You haue shot ouer. 1626R. Harris Hezekiah's Recov. 4 The Orator spake not over, when hee intimated that Ingratitude was a kinde of Unjustice. 1681Dryden Sp. Friar i. i, They're all corrupted with the Gold of Barbary To carry over, and not hurt the Moor. 1796in Nicolas Disp. Nelson (1846) VII. p. xxxiii, Many shot went over, but none struck us.
4. a. Hence used of the latter part of the motion or course described in 3, corresponding to the position in 1 c = over the edge or brink and down, forward and down, as in to fall, jump, throw oneself, push any one over (cf. over a precipice, over prep. 12). Also, b. of a similar movement from the erect position, without reference to any brink, as in to fall, tumble, topple, knock a person, a vase, etc. over; and c. in to bend, double, fold, turn, roll a thing over, in which the upper surface is turned forward (or laterally) and downward, so as to become the under, i.e. is turned upside down. to roll or turn over and over, i.e. so that each part of the surface in succession rolls forward and downward, and is alternately up and down.
a.c1400Laud Troy Bk. 5743 Ther hors fel doun and thei ȝede ouer, Bothe were besy up to couer. 1814Scott Ld. of Isles iii. xv, For from the mountain hoar..Loose crags had toppled o'er. a1904Mod. Do not go too near the edge of the precipice; you might fall over. It is on the very brink; a very slight push would send it over.
b.1649G. Daniel Trinarch., Hen. IV, ccciii, One single Gunne, tumbles the whole towne ore. 1660H. More Myst. Godl. viii. xvii. 441 The leaking vessel of this mortal Body..ready to sink or topple over. 1694–1826 Fall over [see fall v. 96]. 1814–93Knock over [see knock v. 15]. 1853Kane Grinnell Exp. xxiv. (1856) 196 When these [ice-piles] attain their utmost height,..they topple over.
c.a1548Hall Chron., Rich. III 29 b, He tourned over the leffe, and began an order of a new life. 1662Glanvill Lux Orient. Pref. (1682) 10 If they turn o're Libraries. 1674R. Godfrey Inj. & Ab. Physic 6 We..who have tumbled over so many Volumes. 1710Addison Tatler No. 243 ⁋3 He turned himself over hastily in his Bed. 1726Swift Gulliver ii. v, Expecting every moment to..fall..and come tumbling over and over from the ridge to the eaves. 1807Med. Jrnl. XVII. 176 note, Very few..have thought it worth their while to tumble over the dirty pages of this publication. 1840Lardner Geom. xxii. 309 If the curve VP were folded over on VP′, the point P would fall upon P′. a1904Mod. Turn him over on his face.
5. a. From side to side of an interjacent surface or space: in early use esp. said of crossing the surface of the sea or other water (closely akin to 3), a street, a common, or other defined tract; in later use often said merely of traversing the space or distance between two places, and so adding some notion of completeness to go, come, run, take, etc.; e.g. ‘Take this over to my friend's house’.
c893K. ælfred Oros. ii. v. §6 An fiscere..uneaþe hiene ænne ofer brohte. c1175Lamb. Hom. 141 Sunnedei smat Moyses þe rede see, and þe see to-eode and þet iraelisce folc wende ouer. c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 59 Whan þe erle was exiled, his sonnes tille Irland ouer. a1400–50Alexander 1028 In-to þe coste of Calodone he comes him ouer first. 1567J. Maplet Gr. Forest 97 To sende ouer Owles to Athens. 1591Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, v. iii. 167 Ile ouer then to England with this newes. 1676–7Marvell Corr. Wks. 1872–5 II. 523 Whose opinion was, that he ought to be sent for over. 1869Contemp. Rev. XI. 65 The Duke..had asked him over. 1894A. Robertson Nuggets, etc. 156 My mother will send over every day to inquire how Miss McLean is. 1895Scottish Antiquary X. 81 He..darted for the ford, and got over before they came up to him.
b. Of measurement: Across from side to side; in outside measurement.
1585–6Earl of Leicester Corr. (Camden) 477 The breadthe therof, in the narrowest place, is a mylle over. 1624J. Pory in Capt. Smith Virginia iv. 142 The land is not two daies iourny ouer in the broadest place. 1660F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. 279 On the West they had deserts of fifteen dayes over. 1663Gerbier Counsel 69 If the Ballisters be two inches over, it is two shillings a doozen. 1719De Foe Crusoe i. xii, The cave..might be about twelve feet over. 1872Routledge's Ev. Boy's Ann. 10/1 A small sixty sized [flower] pot, which is about three inches over.
c. Cricket. The umpire's call for the players to pass to the opposite places in the field, on a change of the bowling to the other end of the wicket, after a certain number of balls (4, 5, or 6) have been bowled from the one end. (Hence over n.2 4.)
17..Laws of Cricket in Grace Cricket (1891) 15 When ye 4 Balls are bowled he [the umpire] is to call over. 1849Laws of Cricket in ‘Bat’ Cricketer's Man. (1850) 59 After the delivery of four balls the umpire must call ‘Over’.
6. a. From one person, side, party, opinion, etc., to another: expressing transference or transition; esp. in deliver, hand, bring, make, take over, go, come, pass over. give over: see give v. 63. (See also get v. 74 e.)
1585T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. ii. 2 b, For⁓getting..that whiche duty & fidelity commanded him, [he] went ouer to the king of Spayne. 1593Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, i. i. 60 [The Duchies of Anjou and Maine] shall be released and deliuered ouer to the King her Father. 1595― John iii. i. 127 And dost thou now fall ouer to my foes? 1608Willet Hexapla Exod. 461 So might the seruant be sold ouer. 1766Goldsm. Vic. W. ii, The profits of my living,..I made over to the orphans and widows of the clergy of our diocese. 1776Trial of Nundocomar 104/2 The balance..is brought over into this [account]. 1894Temple Bar Mag. CI. 62, I made over..every farthing of the fortune. Mod. Part of the auxiliary forces went over to the enemy.
b. Used in radio communication to indicate that the speaker has finished speaking and intends his communicator to reply. over and out: used to indicate that the communication is at an end. Cf. out adv. 23 b. Also transf., esp. in over to you: it is your turn (to speak, act, etc.).
1926J. L. Pritchard Bk. Aeroplane viii. 144 ‘Hullo, Croydon,..now passing Biggin Hill. Over!’..The final word ‘Over’ tells the Croydon operator that the pilot is switching his transmitting apparatus over to receiving so that he can hear what Croydon has to say. 1940‘Gun Buster’ Return via Dunkirk ii. iv. 117 X calling Robert Eddy... I can hear you{ddd}remain on receive{ddd}over to you over. 1955,1966[see out adv. 23 b]. 1967‘R. Foley’ Fear of Stranger (1968) x. 105 Over to you, pal, Kay thought in amusement. 1969Guardian 22 July 11/1 Thank you Peter, thank you Paul, to name but two. Over, like, and out. 1972N. Marsh Tied up in Tinsel v. 123 ‘Well, ta for the tip anyway. Over and out.’ Alleyn hung up. 1973G. Mitchell Murder of Busy Lizzie xv. 175 ‘But, for the moment, we are concerning ourselves with the Lovelaine family, I thought.’ ‘Sorry! Over to you, then.’ 1974P. Wright Lang. Brit. Industry xiv. 135 It [sc. language repetition] occurs particularly where..actions and accompanying words amount to a drill, as in the radio operator's Over and out. 1976L. Dills CB Slanguage Dict. (rev. ed.) 51 Over, through transmitting but listening.
7. a. On the other side of something intervening, e.g. a sea, river, street; hence, merely, on the other side of some space, at some distance.
c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 219 Whan Edward was ouere graciously and wele, He hoped haf recouere at Wigemore castele. 1513Douglas æneis i. i. 22 The mouth of lang Tibir our forgane. 1823Lockhart Span. Ball., Song of Galley vi, It is a narrow strait, I see the blue hills over. 1845Browning How they brought the Good News vii, Over by Dalhem a dome-spire sprang white. a1904Mod. He has been over in America for some time.
b. over against (prep. phr.): opposite to. So over-anenst dial., † overynentes obs.
c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) xi. 46 Ouerynentes þe forsaid well, es ane ymage of stane. 1517R. Torkington Pilgr. (1884) 19 Over a gens the forseyd yle of Cirigo. 1526Tindale Mark xiii. 3 As he sate on mounte olivete over agenst the temple. 1632Lithgow Trav. iv. 139 Perah is ouer against Constantinople. 1710Steele Tatler No. 261 ⁋1 The Wheat-Sheaf over-against Tom's Coffee-house. 1855Robinson Whitby Gloss., Ower-anenst, over-against, opposite. 1864Pusey Lect. Daniel viii. 475 It exhibits the vain tumults of men, and, over-against them, the calm supremacy of God.
III. With the notion of exceeding in quantity, etc.
8. Above or beyond the quantity named or in question.
a. Remaining or left beyond what is taken.
b. Present beyond the quantity in question; in excess, in addition, more. over or under, † over or short: more or less.
a900tr. Bæda's Eccl. Hist. i. xvi. [xxvii.] (1890) 66 Eall ðæt ofer bið to lafe is to syllane, swa swa Crist lærde Quod superest date eleemosynam: ðæt ofer si and to lafe sellaþ ælmessan. c1050Byrhtferth's Handboc in Anglia (1885) VIII. 303 ᵹyf þær byð an ofer. a1340Hampole Psalter Cant. 495 Eftere his seknes & grauntynge of life fyften ȝere ouyr. 1393Test. Ebor. (Surtees) I. 184 If there be oght over. 1412–20Lydg. Chron. Troy 80 b, An hundred men of armes them beforne, And twenty over. 1596Danett tr. Comines (1614) 330 At the selfe same time within two moneths ouer or vnder. 1603Sir C. Heydon Jud. Astrol. v. 147 To come neare to it ouer or short is commendable. 1613Shakes. Hen. VIII, iv. ii. 151 That they may haue their wages,..And something ouer to remember me by. 1657W. Rand tr. Gassendi's Life Peiresc i. 130 A certain rare Aloes tree, which..shot up 32 feet high..and near half a foot over. 1777Macbride in Phil. Trans. LXVIII. 129 A score of pounds over or under making no..difference in the strength. 1854Dickens Hard T. i. ii, The principle that two and two are four, and nothing over. 1856Titan Mag. Dec. 499/1 Twelve will go once in fourteen, and leave two over.
9. a. Remaining or left unpaid, unsettled, or uncompleted after the time of settlement; remaining for the time being; left till a later time or occasion; esp. with remain, lie, stand, hold, leave.
1647[see hold v. 42 a]. 1848Craig, To lie over, to remain unpaid, after the time when payment is due. 1852[see hold v. 42 b]. 1862Trollope Orley F. I. xix. 144 The matter was allowed to stand over till after Christmas. 1884Mil. Engineering (ed. 3) I. ii. 51 The front ditch..may be left over, in the absence of strong enough working parties.
b. Until a later time or period; till the next season; overnight.
1861Trans. Illinois Agric. Soc. IV. 317 Old bugs live over, and produce eggs the following season. 1884J. Hay Bread-Winners xi. 172, I am so glad you resolved to stay over. 1899A. Nicholas Idyl of Wabash 53 We don't want to winter them steers over. 1953N. Gordimer Lying Days ii. xx. 168, I was going to sleep over at the house of an old friend of my mother's. 1968J. Sangster Touch-feather xiv. 149 ‘You're staying over.’..‘But I haven't brought any clothes.’ 1973‘D. Shannon’ No Holiday for Crime (1974) vi. 91 He..put a second shirt and a razor in a briefcase in case he had to stay over.
†10.
a. Beyond or in addition to what has been said; more than that, moreover, besides; further.
c1380Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 163 Bot se we owver how þis synne is partid in þo Chirche. 1382― 1 Macc. ix. 55 Nether he miȝte spek overe [1388 more] a word. c1430Pilgr. Lyf Manhode i. cxi. (1869) 58 And ouer j sey þee,..who so hath [etc.]. 1509Act 1 Hen. VIII, c. 3 And ouer, that it be ordeined [etc.].
b. So † over and besides; also over and above.
1583T. Stocker Civ. Warres Lowe C. iii. 101 a, Ouer and besides, they fortified them selues sundry dayes with many Fortes, or trenches. 1594R. Ashley tr. Loys le Roy 75 b, They had 200000 men..and ouer and besids iij hundred thousand harnesse of prouision. 1622Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. i. 127 And you must over and besides, allow her her wine into the bargaine.
11. Beyond what is normal or proper; too much; excessively; too. Cf. over and above B. 2.
Modifying adjs. and advbs., and now usually hyphened or combined, as over-anxious, overmuch: see over- 28, 30. In Sc. and north. Eng. dial. (ower, owre) the regular word for ‘too’, and always written separate, as ower muckle.
a1225Ancr. R. 86 Nis hit nout nu,..so ouer vuel ase me hit makeð. c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 36 Bot it was ouer litelle, in alle maner way. 13..Cursor M. 26251 (Cott.) Þi plight es owur vgli. 1456Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 36 Na man suld..be our blythe, na..be our disconfourt or aferde. 1470–85Malory Arthur x. lxxxv, That one repenteth..for he is ouer good a knyghte to dye suche a shameful dethe. 1475Paston Lett. III. 122, I thynke it wolde be to yow ovyr erksom a labor. a1568R. Ascham Scholem. i. (Arb.) 57 It is ouer greate a ieopardie. 1625Bacon Ess., Delays (Arb.) 525 To teach dangers to come on, by ouer early Buckling towards them. 1627E. F. Hist. Edw. II (1680) 12 Some few days pass, which seem'd o're long. 1766Fordyce Serm. Yng. Wom. (1767) I. vii. 297 You are over hasty in your apprehension. 1786Burns Twa Dogs 140 Still it's owre true that ye hae said, Sic game is now owre aften play'd. 1804Wordsw. Kitten & Falling Leaves 38–9 Over happy to be proud, Over wealthy in the treasure Of her own exceeding pleasure! 1868Atkinson Cleveland Gloss. s.v., He is ower fond for owght. 1874Blackie Self-Cult. 22 Be not over anxious about mere style. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 93 Do you understand now what I mean? Not over well.
IV. Of duration, repetition, completion, ending.
12. a. Through its whole extent; to the end; from beginning to end: esp. with read, repeat, say, tell, reckon, count; with talk and think, this passes into the notion of detailed consideration.
1399Langl. Rich. Redeles Prol. 55 If it happe to ȝowre honde beholde þe book onys,..And if ȝe sauere sum dell, se it forth ouere. 1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 102 He toke great displeasure to reade over the whole discourse. Ibid. 231 Let the poorer sorte oftymes saye over theyr Pater noster. c1680Doubting Virgin in Roxb. Ball. IV. 344 Stay and hear 't o're, before you go. 1782F. Burney Cecilia ix. x, Cecilia..took the letter, and ran it over. 1871R. Ellis Catullus lxi. 215 (203) He shall tell them, ineffable, Multitudinous, over. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) III. 605 We talked the matter over. 1884G. Allen Philistia III. 166 Let's talk it over and think it over. 1892Law Times XCII. 146/1 The indorsement was read over to her.
b. For temporal phrases of the type ‘all the year over’, which partly belong here, see over prep. 17 b.
13. Expressing repetition.
a. orig. over again, or with numeral adv., as twice or thrice over.
c1550Jyl of Brentford's Test. (Ballad Soc.) 41 Pray doe it over again! 1596Shakes. Merch. V. iii. ii. 309 You shall haue gold To pay the petty debt twenty times ouer. 1682Sir T. Browne Chr. Mor. iii. §25 Men would not live it over again. 1766Goldsm. Vic. W. xiv, He read it twice over. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 218 This is the old, old song over again. 1884Sir W. B. Brett in Law Times Rep. 10 May 315/2 To be verbose and tautologous, and to say the same thing twice over.
b. over in the sense ‘over again’.
1588Shakes. L.L.L. i. i. 33, I can but say their protestation ouer. 1592― Rom. & Jul. i. ii. 7 But saying ore what I haue said before. 1601― Twel. N. v. i. 276 All those sayings, will I ouer sweare. 1611― Cymb. i. vi. 165 And shall make your Lord, That which he is, new o're. 1704Swift T. Tub Apol., He had however a blotted Copy..which he intended to have written over with many Alterations. 1872H. W. Beecher Lect. Preaching II. 39 Perhaps he may be able to make himself over. 1889Scribner's Mag. Aug. 217/2 Old iron rails..are worked over at the rolling mills into crowbars and shovels [etc.].
c. over and over, over and over again, repeatedly, many times over.
1598Shakes. Merry W. iii. iii. 18, I ha told them ouer and ouer, they lacke no direction. 1637Gillespie Eng. Pop. Cerem. iv. i. 1 Vpon this string they harpe over and over again. 1647R. Stapylton Juvenal 215 Let rich men do it, ore and ore agen. 1707Hearne Collect. 21 May (O.H.S.) II. 14 Nothing..but what has been observ'd over and over. a1860J. A. Alexander Gospel Jesus Chr. iii. (1861) 44 He has over and over refused to accept God's invitation. 1869Freeman Norm. Conq. III. xii. 188 The name..appears over and over again.
14. Past, gone by, finished, done with, at an end. Phr. over (and done) with: completed, finished; dispensed with.
[c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 282 A prophecie sais he salle die, & whan he is ouere, After þat day Scotlond may haf gode recouere.] 1611Bible Song Sol. ii. 11 For loe, the winter is past, the raine is ouer [Coverd. awaie, Geneva changed], and gone. 1624Quarles Div. Poems, Job x. 105 O that thy Hand would hide me close..till all thy Wrath were over! 1625Bacon Ess., Anger (Arb.) 565 To looke backe vpon Anger, when the Fitt is throughly ouer. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 345 Nor when the War is over, is it Peace. 1719De Foe Crusoe i. xv, His astonishment was a little over. 1802M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. i. 5 The ceremony of dinner is over. 1865Baring-Gould Hymn, Now the day is over, Night is drawing nigh. 1875Stubbs C.H. II. xiv. 149 The struggle was not yet over. 1938R. Finlayson Brown Man's Burden 53 The others..were glad when they were free to go, for..the salutations were over and done with. 1970Auden in New Yorker 21 Feb. 118/1, I have one slight criticism..which I will get over with at once. 1977S. Woods Thief or Two 136, I thought, if I was going to do it, I'd get it over with.
15. In addition to the prec. senses, over is used idiomatically with many verbs, as give, pass, put, throw, walk, etc. See these verbs.
Add:[II.] [7.] c. over to (prep. phr.): over at. Cf. to prep. 4. dial.
1897G. Bartram People of Clopton 140 I'd had a big job..over to Noston Wood. 1911E. Wharton Ethan Frome 193 She..stayed with Ethan over to the minister's. a1945A. Christie Sleeping Murder (1976) viii. 71, I was in a job over to Plymouth for a while. 1976P. G. Winslow Witch Hill Murder (1977) xv. 202 She just decided to take off home... Her mom was over to the Brewsters', so there would've been no questions. 1987‘B. Vine’ Fatal Inversion xv. 229 He's over to Walnut Tree [geriatric ward] on account of needing a bit of care but he's fit as a fiddle really.
▸ colloq. (orig. U.S.). it's not over till the fat lady sings and variants: there is still time for a situation to change, esp. for the better; the outcome of a situation cannot be assumed; = it ain't over till it's over at A. 13d.
Apparently with allusion to the notion that operas often end with a final aria by a (stereotypically large) female soprano (compare quots. 1976 1978), although quot. 1976 may suggest an origin as a proverb in the southern United States.
1976Dallas Morning News 10 Mar. 2 b/2 The Aggies rallied for a 72-72 tie late in the SWC tournament finals... ‘Right,’ said Ralph. ‘The opera ain't over until the fat lady sings.’ 1976F. R. Smith & C. R. Smith in F. R. Shapiro Yale Bk. Quotations 134 Church ain't out 'till the fat lady sings. 1978Washington Post 3 June b1/4 One day three years ago, Ralph Carpenter,..declared to the press box contingent in Austin, ‘The rodeo ain't over till the bull riders ride.’ Stirred to top that deep insight, San Antonio sports editor Dan Cook countered with, ‘The opera ain't over 'til the fat lady sings.’ 1987P. Muldoon Meeting the British 51 In this, as in so many things, it won't be over till the fat lady sings. 2006Bristol Evening Post (Nexis) 4 Apr. 67 It's not over until the fat lady sings, but we have to get four points from our next two matches.
▪ II. over, prep.|ˈəʊvə(r)|
Forms: see prec.
[The same as over adv. with object.
OE. ofer was const. with dative or accusative, the former orig. in the sense of position, the latter in that of motion to. There are however several uses of ofer in which these distinctions are not clear, which app. led to looseness in the use of the cases generally, so that in many senses either case was used with no apparent difference of sense, the preponderance being in favour of the accusative.]
I. In sense above.
1. a. Above, higher up than. Said either of position or of motion within the space above; also, after hang, project, jut, lean, etc., in relation to anything beneath.
c888K. ælfred Boeth. xl. §4 Hi wuniaþ nu ofer ðæm tunglum. c893― Oros. i. iii. §1 Ðær wæs standende wæter ofer þam lande. c1000Sax. Leechd. II. 38 Bræd þonne þæt heafod hider & ᵹeond ofer þæt fyr. a1225Ancr. R. 400 Ich holde her hetel sweord ouer þin heaued. c1420Lydg. Assembly of Gods 1608 Ouer her heede houyd a culuer..whyte. c1425Cursor M. 11489 (Trin.) Ouer þe hous stood þe stern. a1548Hall Chron., Hen. VI 116 b, [They] received hym with a Canapie of blewe velvet,..and bare the same over hym, through the toune. c1590[see lean v. 4]. 1676Hobbes Iliad ii. 394 The Entrails o're the fire they broiled. 1736Berkeley Discourse Wks. III. 424 Having his house burnt over his head. 1805Wordsw. Prelude viii. 95 Mountains over all, embracing all. 1821Keats Isabella xxiii, He leant..o'er the balustrade. 1864G. W. Dasent Jest & Earnest (1873) I. 42 Flitting about like a petrel over those stormy isles. a1904Mod. The upper story projects over the street.
b. In various fig. uses.
c888K. ælfred Boeth. xli. §5 (MS. B.) Ne þæt ne secð þæt him ofer is. c897― Gregory's Past. C. xvii. 108 Eower eᵹe and broᵹa sie ofer ealle eorðan nietenu. a900Ags. Ps. (Th.) xxxii. 18 Sy, Drihten, þin mildheortnes ofer us. c1000ælfric Num. xvi. 46 Godes yrre is ofer hiᵹ. 1549Latimer 3rd Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 95 He loketh hye ouer the poore. 1593Shakes. Rich. II, ii. i. 258 Reproach and dissolution hangeth ouer him. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. i. I. 72 A grave doubt hung over the legitimacy both of Mary and of Elizabeth. 1887Times (weekly ed.) 1 July 2/1 The best part proved to be a little over the heads of his audience.
c. over (one's) signature, name, etc.: with one's signature, etc. subscribed to what is written.
1805in Spirit of Public Jrnls. (1806) 96 A writer over the signature of Zanga, is another buckram expression. 1826New Harmony (Indiana) Gaz. 22 Mar. 207/2 A writer over the signature of ‘A Farmer’..states that he has been completely successful..in saving his wheat [from weevils]. 1857N. & Q. 2nd Ser. IV. 87 He says, over his own signature: ‘If in passing the comet [etc.]’. 1875Stedman Victorian Poets 261 Who relieved his eager spirit by incessant poetizing over the pseudonym of ‘Spartacus’. 1934H. G. Wells Exper. Autobiogr. II. viii. 626 Bennett..wrote much of the little weekly paper, Woman, he was editing..over the signature.. of ‘Aunt Ellen’. 1946Sunshine Mag. Apr. (front cover), New preface over the author's own signature.
†2. To a position above. OE. (w. acc. or dat.).
a900Ags. Ps. (Th.) xxiii. 2 He ᵹesette þa eorþan ofer þære sæ. c1000ælfric Gram. xlvii. (Z.) 274 Se þe astah ofer heofenas.
3. Idiomatic use. In (or into) a position in which water, or the like, rises above one's shoes, boots, ears, head, etc. Also fig. See also over shoe.
1503Hawes Examp. Virt. x. 7 He must nedys into this water fall Ouer the heed and be drowned with all. 1530–1867 Over head and ears [see head n.1 39 b]. a1553–Over the ears [see ear n.1 1 c]. a1555Philpot Exam. & Writ. (Parker Soc.) 227 Now I am over the shoes: God send me well out! 1589R. Harvey Pl. Perc. (1590) 8 Another..puls him ouer the pumpes into the same puddle. 1591Shakes. Two Gent. i. i. 24–5 He [Leander] was more then ouer-shooes in loue. Val. Tis true; for you are ouer-bootes in loue. 1677Gilpin Demonol. (1867) 80 To go on and enjoy the fulness of that delight which we have already stolen privately: over shoes, over boots. 1768Wesley Jrnl. 23 Sept. (1827) III. 336 My horse got into a ditch over his back in water. 1834D. Macmillan in Hughes Mem. (1883) 66, I am always over head and ears with one trouble or another.
4. The spatial sense ‘above’ passes into other notions: the literal notion is
a. combined with that of purpose or occupation, as in over the fire, a bowl, a glass;
b. sunk in that of having something under treatment, observation, or consideration, as in to watch, or talk over, make merry over.
c897K. ælfred Gregory's Past. C. l. 391 Mid hu micelre ᵹiefe ofer him wacað se Scippend & se Stihtere ealra ᵹesceafta. Ibid. lii. 411 Mara ᵹefea wyrð on heofonum..ðonne ofer niᵹon & hundniᵹontiᵹ ryhtwisra. a900tr. Bæda's Hist. i. vii. (1890) 40 Þæt he ofer him deadum ᵹefeᵹe. c1000Ags. Gosp. Luke xix. 41 He weop ofer hiᵹ. c1000ælfric Hom. I. 36 Þæt he symle wacol sy ofer Godes eowode. c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 31 Þe herdes..wakeden ouer here oref. 1483Caxton G. de la Tour F v b, That none may haue enuye ouer hym. 1579Fulke Refut. Rastel 735 The Lords praier..was not said ouer the sacrament. 1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. v. 175 Vtter your grauitie ore a Gossips bowles. 1593― Lucr. 421 As the grim lion fawneth o'er his prey. 1600― A.Y.L. i. ii. 139 The poore old man..making such pittiful dole ouer them. 1657–83Evelyn Hist. Relig. (1850) I. 137 The Almighty's especial vigilance is over the greater societies of men,..yea, and over whole nature. 1711Steele Spect. No. 52 ⁋6 When you did me the Honour to be so merry over my Paper. 1791Gentl. Mag. 20/2 Those hours..which others consume..over the bottle. 1811Lady Granville Lett. (1894) I. 29 If you had seen us..sitting over the fire with Mr. Hughes. 1847Helps Friends in C. (1851) I. 3 Over this he had wasted two days. 1865Mrs. Carlyle Lett. III. 286 We sit down to breakfast, and talk over it till eleven. 1874Farrar Christ I. 408 Let us pause a moment longer over this wonderful narrative. 1875Jowett Plato III. 389 Apt to yawn and go to sleep over any intellectual toil.
†c. With reference to, regarding, concerning, about (a subject of discourse, thought, feeling, etc.).
c1000ælfric Gen. xvii. 20 Ofer Ysmahel eacswilce ic ᵹehirde þe. c1340Hampole Prose Tr. 36 Thow may..thynke ouer thi synnes before donne. 1535Coverdale Lev. xi. 46 This is the lawe ouer y⊇ beestes and foules. ― 1 Chron. xx. 2 He sent messaungers to comforte him ouer his father.
II. In sense on, upon.
5. On the upper or outer surface of; upon: sometimes implying the notion of supported or resting upon, sometimes (now more frequently) that of covering the surface.
In Her. said of a charge placed upon others so as partly to cover them (distinguished from above = on a higher part of the shield). Usually over all.
c880Laws of ælfred c. 36 (Schmid) Ᵹif mon hafað spere ofer eaxle. c950Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xxi. 5 Sittende ofer [Rushw. on, Ags. G. uppan] asal. 971Blickl. Hom. 71 Sittende ofor eoselan folan. Ibid. 79 Her ne bið forlæten stan ofor stan. c1435Torr. Portugal 2100 Ffader, than have thou this ryng, I ffound it over this swete thing. 1592Shakes. Ven. & Ad. 31 Over one arm the lusty coursers rein. 1766Porny Heraldry v. (1787) 156 The twelfth is Azure, a Chief Gules over-all a Lion rampant double queued Or. 1870Trollope Phineas Finn 39 Sitting with his hat low down over his eyes.
6. a. To a position on the surface or top of, or so as to cover; upon (with verbs of motion).
c897K. ælfred Gregory's Past. C. xlix. 383 Ðæt mon his sweord doo ofer his hype. a900tr. Bæda's Hist. ii. ii. (1890) 100 Nimað ᵹe min ᵹeoc ofer eow. 971Blickl. Hom. 93 Þonne hie cweþaþ to þæm dunum:..Feallaþ ofor us. c1000Ags. Gosp. Matt. xi. 24 Se hys hus ofer stan ᵹetimbrode. c1470Henry Wallace i. 241 A soudly courche our hed and nek leit fall. 1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 353 They had all put over their harnesse white shirtes. 1652C. B. Stapylton Herodian xiv. 114 This hit the Alexandrians o're the Thumbs. 1704Cibber Careless Husb. v. ii, Throw my Night-Gown over me. 1861Temple Bar Mag. I. 307 Let us draw a veil over this dismal spectacle.
b. fig. Upon, down upon, as an influence.
a900tr. Bæda's Hist. i. xi. [xiv.] 50 Ᵹestihtad wæs þæt yfell wræc come ofer ða wiþcorenan. Ibid. iv. xxv[i]. 354 On ðinum daᵹum ðis wite ofer ðas burᵹ ne cymeð. c1000ælfric Hom. I. 182 Ða tacna þe he worhte ofer ða un⁓truman men. c1175Lamb. Hom. 93 Ðe halie gast com ofer þa apostlas mid furene tungen. 1588Shakes. L.L.L. v. ii. 278 Lord Longauill said I came ore his hart. 1834Mackay Tubal Cain iii, But a sudden change came o'er his heart.
†c. Up to the top of, up to. (OE.)
c897K. ælfred Gregory's Past. C. xiv. 80 Asteᵹ ofer heanne munt. c1000ælfric Gram. xlvii. (Z.) 274 Ofer healice dune astih ðu.
7. a. (Position) on all parts of the surface of; everywhere on; here and there upon. Often strengthened by all, now esp. all over. (See also all over advb. phr. 1 c).
c893K. ælfred Oros. ii. vi. §3 Ofer eall Romana rice seo eorþe wæs cwaciende & berstende. Ibid. vi. vii, Þa wearð eft sibb ofer ealne Romana anwald. c1175Lamb. Hom. 3 Þa wes hit cuð ouer al þe burh. c1430Syr Tryam. 349 Ovyr alle the wode they hur soght, But..fonde hur noght. 1456Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 2 [He] is lufit and redoubtit our all the warld. 1624Capt. Smith Virginia iii. 58 They..sell it all ouer the country. 1722De Foe Plague (Rtldg.) 10 The People..began to be allarm'd all over the Town. 1796Jane Austen Pride & Prej. II. xxv, The expression of heartfelt delight, diffused over his face. 1841Elphinstone Hist. Ind. I. 13 Rice is more or less raised all over India. 1895Scot. Antiq. X. 79 Around the firesides of the cottages, which were studded over the moor.
b. (Motion) from place to place on the surface of; to and fro upon; all about; throughout. Often all over.
a900tr. Bæda's Hist. ii. xii. (1890) 128 Moniᵹra ᵹeara tida ofer ealle Breotone ic flyma wæs. c1000ælfric Exod. viii. 5 Alæd upp þa froxas ofer eall Egipta land. 1568Grafton Chron. I. 156 In the Wynter he used to ryde over the lande. 1600Shakes. A.Y.L. i. iii. 134 Heele goe along ore the wide world with me. 1735Somerville Chase iii. 110 The hunter crew wide straggling o'er the plain! 1843Ruskin Mod. Paint. I. ii. ii. §6. 406 We may range over Europe, from shore to shore. a1904Mod. They travel all over the country.
c. Through every part of, all through. (Sometimes including the notion of examination or consideration: cf. 4.)
1647–8Sir C. Cotterell Davila's Hist. Fr. (1678) 29 They might purposely be carefully looked over. 1773Johnson Lett. Wks. 1825 I. 321 A wild notion, which extends over marriage more than over any other transaction. 1830Moore Mem. (1854) VI. 108 Took Miss Macdonald to see over new Athenæum. 1892Mrs. Oliphant Marr. of Elinor III. xxxiv. 20 She would have liked to go over all his notes about his case.
d. In the above senses (esp. a and b) often placed after its object, esp. when this is qualified by all or the like. (Cf. through.)
a1400–50Alexander 18 Þat aȝte euyn as his awyn all the werd ouire. c1590Marlowe Faust. iv. 53, I should be called kill-devil all the parish over. 1657Sparrow Bk. Com. Prayer (1661) 164 Christ is risen, the usual Morning salutation this day, all the Church over. 1675Lond. Gaz. No. 1039/3 This inundation is almost general Holland over. 1795Burns For a' That v, That man to man, the warld o'er, Shall brothers be for a' that. 1832H. Martineau Life in Wilds ii. 23 A test which holds good all the world over. 1916T. MacDonagh Lit. in Ireland 120 The characteristic qualities of the ancient Irish lyrics are those of good lyric poetry the world over. 1930Publishers' Weekly 23 Aug. 675/2 There are many more like me, the country over, really anxious to feed their fanaticism. 1971Guardian 14 Jan. 11/8 Policemen love one another the world over.
For the corresponding use in reference to time, ‘as in all the year over’, in which over may be explained adverbially, see 17 b. Even in the local use, in ‘all the world over’ and the like, it is difficult to separate the preposition from the adverb: cf. ‘you may search London over (= London from end to end) before you find another like it’.
e. Math. (Defined or expressed) in terms of (the elements of); esp. having coefficients or co-ordinates in, or having elements with coefficients or co-ordinates in.
1932Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. XXXIV. 171 (heading) Theory of cyclic algebras over an algebraic number field. 1938A. A. Albert Mod. Higher Algebra ii. 40 The most interesting and important linear sets for our purposes are those of finite order n over a field {scrF}... Their elements may be thought of as points in an n-dimensional space with coordinates in {scrF}. 1965J. J. Rotman Theory of Groups vi. 103 A number α ε C is algebraic over F in case F (α) is a finite-dimensional vector space over F (otherwise α is transcendental over F). 1972A. G. Howson Handbk. Terms Algebra & Analysis xi. 55 The polynomials form a subring..called the ring of polynomials over K.
III. Above in authority, degree, amount, etc.
8. Above in authority, rule, or power; with ns., as king, lord over; jurisdiction, rule, triumph, victory over; adjs., victorious over; vbs., to reign, rule, triumph, appoint or set any one over.
c893K. ælfred Oros. i. ii. §3 Hio ᵹesette ofer eall hyre rice þæt nan forbyrd nære [etc.]. Ibid. iii. i. §5 For þæm lytlan siᵹe þe hie þa ofer hie hæfdon. a900tr. Bæda's Hist. ii. v. (1890) 108 Se hæfde rice ofer ealle Breotone. Ibid. v. xi. [x.] 416 Þætte hio onsende to ðæm aldormen þe ofer hine wæs. a900Ags. Ps. (Th.) xvii. 48 Þa hælo þæs cynges ðe ðu ᵹesettest ofer folcum. 971Blickl. Hom. 35 Gif he nære soþ God ofer ealle ᵹesceafte. c1000Ags. Gosp. Luke xix. 19 Beo þu ofer fif ceastra. c1200Ormin 590 Alls iff itt wære laferrdflocc Offr alle þoþre flockess. c1320Cast. Love 1110 Nou ouer þe nabbe I no mihte. 1422tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 210 Show thy Victori ouer hym. 1558Knox First Blast (Arb.) 37, I will not, that a woman haue authority, charge or power ouer man. 1611Bible Ps. xii. 4 Who is Lord ouer vs? 1678Wanley Wond. Lit. World v. ii. §83. 472/2 Over this Emperour the Christians were Victorious in..the Battel of Lepanto. 1709Steele & Addison Tatler No. 147 ⁋3 Venus, the Deity who presides over Love. 1796Jane Austen Pride & Prej. I. xxiv, Oh that my dear Mother had more command over herself. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. i. I. 2 Ireland, cursed by the domination of race over race, and of religion over religion. 1896Law Times Rep. LXXIII. 690/1 This court has no jurisdiction over the property in America.
9. a. Above or beyond in degree, quality, or action; in preference to; more than.
c893K. ælfred Oros. i. iv. §1 Ioseph, se þe ᵹingst wæs..& eac gleawra ofer hi ealle. c897― Gregory's Past. C. xviii. 132 Ðæt gold þe is swæ deorwierðe ofer eal oðer ondweorc. a900― Solil. i. (1902) 11 Þe anne ic lufiᵹe ofer æalle oðre þing. Ibid. 43 Hine ic lufiᵹe ofer eallum oðrum þing. 971Blickl. Hom. 11 Lufian we urne Drihten..ofer ealle oþru þing. Ibid. 13 Heo wæs seo eadᵹeste ofer eall wifa cynn. a1000Ps. l. (Cotton) 75 (Gr.) Ofer snawe self scinende. c1175Lamb. Hom. 39 Þet þu luuie þine drihten ofer þin wif, and ofer child, and ofer alle eorðliche þing. a1300E.E. Psalter cxviii. 103 Over hony to mi mouth ere þai. 1340Ayenb. 170 He ne þoleþ þet no vyend ous uondy ouer oure miȝte. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints xvi. (Magdalena) 472 Þane wes I fule or þe lafe. 1388Wyclif 2 Cor. i. 8 For ouer maner we weren greued ouer myȝt [supra virtutem]. 1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. vii. lv. (1495) 269 Ouer all thynge the dyete shal be temperate. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 8 b, He neuer suffreth man or woman to be tempted, ouer that they may resyste. 1590Shakes. Mids. N. i. i. 226 How happy some ore othersome can be? 1650Trapp Comm. Deut. xvi. 10 So good-cheap is Gods service to us, over what it was to them. 1749Collins Ode Superst. Highlands 155 But, Oh! o'er all, forget not Kilda's race. 1796Jane Austen Pride & Prej. II. xxiv, I cannot help giving him the preference even over Wickham. 1802Jefferson Autobiog. & Writ. (Ford's ed.) VIII. 133 Virginia is greatly over her due proportion of appointments in the general government. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xiv. III. 413 The preference given to him over English captains.
†b. Conjunctively (by ellipsis). Above or beyond what{ddd}. Obs.
1450Paston Lett. I. 127 The world is changed gretely over it was. 1627Sanderson Serm. (1681) I. 274 Natural conscience..will boggle now and then at a very small matter in comparison over it will do at some other times. 1644Milton Areop. (Arb.) 55 What advantage is it to be a man over it is to be a boy at school?
†10.
a. In addition to, further than; besides, beyond. over this, overthat, moreover, = L. præterea.
c880Laws of ælfred Introd. c. 32 (Schmid) Se þe god⁓geldum onsæcge ofer God anne, swelte se deaðe. c888K. ælfred Boeth. xxiii. (MS. B), Ðu ne wilnast nanes oðres þinges ofer þa. c1000Ags. Gosp. Mark vii. 12 And ofer þæt ᵹe ne lætað hine æniᵹ þing don his fæder oððe meder. a1350Cursor M. 311 (Gött.) And ouyr þat him seluen wroght All thinges quen þat þai war noght. c1380Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 356 It were for to wite over þis, how popis ȝyven þes beneficis. 1413Pilgr. Sowle iv. viii. (Caxton 1483) 61 Nought only they owen this restitucion but also they owen ouer this for to payen hym amendys. 1509in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) I. 477 And ouerthat the saide Provost and scolers covenaunteth and bindeth theym and their successours. 1577–87Holinshed Chron. II. 43/2 Over his exact knowledge in the common lawes, he was a good orator. 1592West 1st Pt. Symbol. §103 C, And ouer this the said H. M. for him..doth couenant..that he [etc.]. 1760–72H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) II. 114 [He] has plunged you a thousand pounds in debt, over the large sums that we carried with us.
b. So † over and besides, † over and beyond. (See also over and above A. 3.)
c1449Pecock Repr. 280 Ouer and biȝonde alle þe xlviij. citees wiþ her seid suburbis. Ibid. 281. 1533 Cranmer Let. in Misc. Writ. (Parker Soc.) II. 260 Over and besides the xvili with iiiili more. 1607R. C[arew] tr. Estienne's World of Wonders 44 Ouer and besides those which they kept at home. 1659H. L'Estrange Alliance Div. Off. 25 Over and besides the Canonical Scriptures.
11. In excess of, above, more than (a stated amount or number).
[c1330Arth. & Merl. 6648 To a castel..Thennes ouer thre mile.] 1405in Roy. & Hist. Lett. Hen. IV (Rolls) I. 158, I have nought ylafte with me over two men. 1519Sir T. Boleyn in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. I. 147 His realme was to hym six millions yerely, and over that, in value. 1640Fuller Joseph's Coat (1867) 179 Had Naaman washed..under or over seven times, would so small a matter have broken any squares? 1660Sharrock Vegetables 18 By that means you shall gain a year in the growing, over that you should doe if you sowed it the next spring. 1858Kingsley Prose Idylls 92 Besides several [fishes] over a pound [in weight]. 1868M. Arnold Sch. & Univ. Cont. 99 His diploma..has cost him a little over {pstlg}50. 1896Law Times Rep. LXXIII. 615/1 A distance of over 700 yards.
IV. Across (above, or on a surface).
12. a. Indicating motion that passes above (something) on the way to the other side. Sometimes expressing only the latter part of this, as in falling or jumping over a precipice, i.e. over the edge or brim and down.
c888K. ælfred Boeth. xxxvi. §3 (MS. B) Þæt ic mæᵹ flioᵹan ofer þone hean hrof þæs heofones. c897― Gregory's Past. C. xiii. 76 Ðylæs he ofer ðone ðerscold..stæppe. a900Ags. Ps. (Th.) xvii. 28 Ic utgang ofer minre burᵹe weall. c1205Lay. 9420 Ouer þene wal heo clumben. 1399Langl. Rich. Redeles iv. 82 Þey had be þrowe ouere þe borde backewarde ichonne. 1567Ps. lxxix. in Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 118 Watter, [that] fast rinnis ouer ane lin. 1568Grafton Chron. I. 152 He lept ouer the table and plucked that theefe by the heare of the head to the ground. 1621Sanderson Serm. I. 188 Like an unruly colt, that will over hedge and ditch. 1794Rigging & Seamanship 247* By the Board. Over the ship's side. 1824Scott Redgauntlet Let. v, Our guest made a motion with his glass, so as to pass it over the water-decanter.., and added, ‘Over the water’. 1827–35Willis Lord Ivon & Dau. 133 A winter, and a spring, Went over me. 1843Fraser's Mag. XXVIII. 230 The sun is peering over the roofs. 1852Dickens Bleak Ho. xviii, She turned..and spoke to him over her shoulder again. 1896N. & Q. 8th Ser. IX. 160/1 The room looking over Nightingale Lane.
b. over the wicket: see bowl v.1 4 b.
13. From side to side of a surface or space; across, to the other side of (a sea, river, boundary, etc.); from end to end of (a line), along; by means of (a telephone, radio communication, or the like); = on prep. 1 d.
c893K. ælfred Oros. ii. iv. §10 Þa Cirus for ofer þæt londᵹemære, ofer þa ea þe hatte Araxis. 898O.E. Chron. an. 896 (Parker MS.) Þa forleton hie hie, and eodon ofer land. c1000Ags. Gosp. Mark v. 1 Ða comen hi ofer þære sæs muðan on þæt rice. 1154O.E. Chron. an. 1135 (Laud MS.) On þis ᵹeare for se king Henri ouer sæ. c1375Cursor M. 6957 (Fairf.) Quen [Iosue] passed ouere þe flume iordan. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) viii. 32 Men gase ower a grete valay till anoþer grete mount. c1440Promp. Parv. 372/2 Ovyr, ultra, trans. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 315 Thus o'er th' Elean Plains, thy well-breath'd Horse Impels the flying Carr. 1775S. J. Pratt Liberal Opin. cxxix. (1783) IV. 167 Gim me my daughter, I say, or I'll send you over the herring-pond, take my word for 't. 1894Times (weekly ed.) 9 Feb. 113/2 A free pass over this company's lines of railways. 1899Pall Mall Mag. Mar. 326 A report has come over the wire that [etc.]. 1928Blunden Overtones of War iv. 43 Persons who, speaking over the field telephones, gave away any information at all..would be court-martialled. 1929Radio Times 8 Nov. 387 ‘Pickwick’, and other such novels, should be read serially over the microphone. Ibid., Over the wireless a reading can be listened to without..irrelevant disturbances. 1946Ibid. 8 Feb. 3/3 His boys and girls who had been heard over All-India Radio. 1966Listener 17 Nov. 725/1 He is asking you over the telephone, so you cannot point or use gestures. 1969N.Y. Rev. Books 2 Jan. 5/1 In his Security Gap speech over CBS on October 25, Nixon said one of his major aims would be to ‘correct its (the Pentagon's) over-centralization’.
†14. fig. In transgression or violation of; in contravention of, contrary to. Obs.
c893K. ælfred Oros. vi. xxxv. §2 On þæm daᵹum ᵹecuron Brettanie Maximianus hem to casere ofer his willan. a900tr. Bæda's Hist. ii. xvi. [xx.] (1890) 148 Se æfter fæce from him unrihtlice ofsleᵹen wæs ofer aðas and treowe. 971Blickl. Hom. 91 Þa þing þe we ær ofor his bebod ᵹedydon. 10..O.E. Chron. an. 1015 Ᵹenam þæt wif ofer þes cynges willan. c1380Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 392 Þei bynden hom ouver þo comaundementis of God. 1502Ord. Crysten Men (1506) ii. i. 86 We may offende our neyghbour in desyrynge his goodes ouer reason & ayenst Iustice.
15. a. On the other side of; across (of position).
c893K. ælfred Oros. i. i. §12 Be norþam him ofer þa westenne is Cwenland. Ibid. §23 Se ðridda [lið] norðwest..onᵹean Scotland ofer ðone sæs earm. a900tr. Bæda's Hist. i. xi. [xiv.] (1890) 50 Þæt hi Seaxna þeode ofer þam sælicum dælum him on fultum ᵹecyᵹdon. c1440York Myst. xxxiv. 65, I haue bene garre make Þis crosse,..Of þat laye ouere þe lake. a1500Peblis to the Play v, When they were ower the wald. 1517R. Torkington Pilgr. (1884) 64 Ovyr the watyr on the other syd,..ys the yle of Cecyll. 1769Gray in Corr. w. Nicholls (1843) 92, I have a bed over the way offered me at three half-crowns a night. 1820Keats St. Agnes xxxix, For o'er the southern moors I have a home for thee. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xxi. (1871) II. 556 The less warlike members of the [Jacobite] party [in 1696] could at least take off bumpers to the King over the water. 1898Tit-Bits 3 Sept. 446/3 At a wedding over the herring⁓pond. a1904Mod. Our neighbours over the way.
b. Having recovered from (an illness, disease, or the like). Cf. get v. 46 b.
1929‘S. N. D.’ Sir W. Howard, Visct. Stafford iii. 29 He was in England, just over an illness, and straitened for lack of money in the autumn of 1646. 1942D. Powell Time to be Born (1943) vi. 139 You're over it, aren't you, Vicky? That's wonderful. 1964L. Deighton Funeral in Berlin xviii. 109 Finally there is not being in love and liking that—you are over it then—cured. 1975J. Grady Shadow of Condor (1976) i. 18 My wife just got over the flu..she's over it now. 1977P. Smalley Trove ii. 78 He had guessed about the alcoholism as soon as Daley said he had been in hospital... He probably was over it, but you never knew for sure.
V. Of time.
16. Beyond in time; after. Obs. exc. dial.
a900O.E. Chron. an. 878 Her hiene bestæl se here on midne winter ofer tuelftan niht to Cippanhamme. a900tr. Bæda's Hist. v. vi. (1890) 402 Ðæt is an tid ofer midne dæᵹ. 971Blickl. Hom. 93 Þy feorþan dæᵹe ofor undern. c1000ælfric Gen. iii. 8 He eode on neorxena wange ofer middæᵹ. 1101–23O.E. Chron. an. 1101 And se eorl syððan oððet ofer Sce. Michaeles mæsse her on lande wunode. 13..Coer de L. 5949 Ovyr this ilke dayes thre Myself schal thy bane be. a1350Cursor M. 15944 (Gött.) Bi þis was time of night passid ouer midnight and mare. c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 57 Ȝif þe salt be fonnyd it is not worthi ower þis. c1400Destr. Troy 265 Þat no tarying shuld tyde ouer a tyme set. 1535Coverdale 2 Chron. x. 5 Come to me agayne ouer thre dayes. a1904Mod. (Mid-Essex groom to master) ‘Sir, we shall want some hay over a few days.’
17. a. During, all through. (In mod. use transf. from space.)
855O.E. Chron., Her hæþne men ærest on Sceapiᵹe ofer winter sætun. c893K. ælfred Oros. iv. x. §10 Siþþan he hi sloᵹ ofer ealne þone dæᵹ fleonde. c1000Sax. Leechd. III. 270 Þa seofon steorran þe..ofer ealne winter scinað... Ofer ealne sumor hi ᵹað on nihtlicre tide under þissere eorðan. c1000Ags. Treat. Astron. in Wright Treat. Science 16 He went adune and hwilon up ofer dæᵹ and ofer niht. 1886Act 49 & 50 Vict. c. 44 §13 The repayment..should be spread over a series of years. 1895Law Times Rep. LXXII. 817/1 The case is governed by a line of authorities extending over a century.
b. The OE. use, in quot. 893, is sometimes expressed in ME. and mod.Eng. by over following the time phrase; as in all the year over, the whole day over. Cf. the corresponding local use in sense 7 d. In the temporal use, over, being appended to a phrase which is itself an adverbial adjunct, may with equal propriety be viewed as an advb.: cf. ‘he works in the field all day’, with ‘he sings at his work all day over’, i.e. all day from beginning to end.
c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) xv. 71 He gert his men wake all þe nyght ouer [MS. Cott. Titus C. xvi, wake all nyghte]. c1475Rauf Coilȝear 330 Ane thousand, and ma, of fensabill men War wanderand all the nicht ouir. Mod. I remained the whole day over near the spot. Some persons bathe in the Serpentine daily all the year over.
†18. During or in course of the (eve or night) preceding; on the preceding (evening or night). Obs. except in overnight.
1399Langl. Rich. Redeles iv. 55 Some had ysoupid with Symond ouere euen. c1420Liber Cocorum (1862) 51 Fyrst sly þy capon over þo nyȝght, Plump hym in water wher he is dyȝt. c1430Two Cookery-bks. 20 Take fowre pounde of Almaundys, & ley in Water ouer eue, an blanche hem. c1500Lichfield Gild Ord. (E.E.T.S.) 15 The days next folloyng that they haue monyshion by the bell-man ouer Evyn. 1528Tindale Obed. Chr. Man Wks. (Parker Soc.) I. 182 Other⁓wise are we disposed..over even, and otherwise in the morning: yea, sometimes altered six times in an hour.
19. Till the end of; for a period that includes.
1806–7J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life (1826) vii. lxii, To stay over the farce after a play. 1817Parl. Deb. 213 It was agreed that the House should adjourn over to-morrow, it being Her Majesty's Birthday. 1845E. Noel Richter's Flower Pieces 79 If we only live over to-day. 1858Mrs. Carlyle Lett. II. 346 In case you should stay over Wednesday.
▪ III. † over, ovre, n.1 Obs.
[Com. W. Ger.: OE. ofer = OFris. overa, overe (mod. Fris. over, EFris. över, öfer), MLG. over, MDu., Du. oever, MHG. uover, Ger. ufer; ulterior relations obscure: see Kluge.]
A border or margin; spec. of the sea or a river: the shore, the bank.
Beowulf (Z.) 1371 ær he feorh seleð aldor on ofre. c1000ælfric Gen. xli. 3 And hi [seofon oxan] eodon be ðære ea ofrun. c1000Sax. Leechd. II. 108 Smire mid þa ofras þær hit readiᵹe. c1205Lay. 8584 He ferde ut of Doure bi þe sæ oure [c 1275 ofre]. c1300Havelok 321 And dede leden hire to doure, Þat standeth on þe seis oure. c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 4336 Cassibola[n] was redy at Douere & renged his men by þe ouere.
▪ IV. ˈover, n.2
[Absolute use of over adv.]
1. (nonce-use f. over adv. 11.) That which is excessive; an excess, extreme.
a1584Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 435 All ouirs are repuit to be vyce; Ore hich, ore law, ore rasch, ore nyce [etc.]. a1904Mod. Sc. A' owres is ill (i.e. All excesses are evil).
2. a. An amount in excess, or remaining over; an extra.
1882Pall Mall G. 10 Oct. 3 It does not appear in the accounts, nor does ‘overs’. 1886Rep. of Sec. of Treasury (U.S.) 180 (Cent.) In counting the remittances of bank⁓notes received for redemption during the year, there was found $25,528 in overs, being amounts in excess of the amounts claimed, and $8,246 in shorts, being amounts less than the amounts claimed.
b. pl. Printing. Copies printed in excess of the number ordered, to allow for wastage.
1888C. T. Jacobi Printers' Vocab. 92 Overs, the ‘plus’ copies beyond a certain number. 1901D. Cockerell Bookbinding i. ii. 36 The printers usually keep a number of ‘overs’ in order to make good such imperfections. 1946J. A. Eisler in H. Whetton Pract. Printing & Binding xxvii. 328/2 Finding the net amount of paper entailed in the production of a job (exclusive of overs) should present few difficulties to the man familiar with ordinary paper usage. 1961T. Landau Encycl. Librarianship (ed. 2) 269/2 Overs. The number of sound copies over after the printing of the net number of copies ordered.
3. An act of going over or across something; a leap over a fence, etc. in hunting.
1883Pall Mall G. 30 July 5/1 The downfall of the front rank at an over.
4. Cricket. (f. over adv. 5 c.) The number of balls (four, five, or six) bowled from either end of the wicket before a change is made to the other end; the portion of the game comprising a single turn of bowling from one end. Since 1900, an ‘over’ has normally consisted of 6 balls, except in Australia, and recently occas. elsewhere, where it is 8. Also attrib. Cf. maiden a. 4 b
1833New Sporting Mag. V. 325 The Anglesea are in the field, And Floyer bowls the over. 1850‘Bat’ Crick. Man. 48 Some clubs make it a rule to mark the number of ‘overs’ that each bowler gives, at the foot of the scoring papers. 1859All Year Round No. 13. 305 He caught two of the town off my first ‘over’. 1899Westm. Gaz. 18 Nov. 2/3 The first alteration proposed—the substitution of six balls for five in an over. 1921Ld. Harris Few Short Runs xi. 284 Under such circumstances how we welcome the umpire's ‘Last over, gentlemen.’ 1955Times 9 May 15/1 When one says that only one hook was aimed at Tayfield in 37 overs the reader will get some idea of the fullness of his length. Before each over he stands over his stumps and performs a kind of ritual. 1960E. W. Swanton W. Indies Revisited 282 The over-rate during the First Test was higher than in any subsequent one. 1974B. Johnston It's been a lot of Fun xvi. 116 ‘Stick to the play, Percy, and keep that sort of chat for between the overs,’ said the producer. 1977Times 18 Jan. 9/8 The fact that the ball had to be replaced three times,..and that the sightscreens are not easily shifted, all helped to bring down the Indian over rate..to just under 11 to the hour.
5. Mil. (chiefly pl.). A bullet, shell, or other missile that passes beyond its target. colloq.
1915W. H. L. Watson Adventures Despatch Rider v. 66 He believes the Uhlans were North Irish Horse and the bullets ‘overs’. 1928Blunden Undertones of War iv. 43 A familiar place far enough from the Brickstack which we held to receive the ‘overs’. 1944A. Jacob Traveller's War 238 Men on the fringe of the battle area..receive the ‘overs’ and keep ducking flat as they hear the hissing approach of tank ammo, that has missed its mark. 1969I. Kemp Brit. G.I. in Vietnam vi. 140, I..laid them behind a tree..; they should be moderately safe there from ‘overs’.
▪ V. over, a.|ˈəʊvə(r)|
Forms: α. 1 ufera, -e, 2–3 ufere, 3 vuere (= uvere) (mod. dial. uvver). β. 3–5 ouere, 4–7 ouer, 5– over.
[OE. had ufer(r)a, -e, yfer(r)a, -e adj., the former of which survived in early ME. ufere, uvere (written vuere, uuere), for which in writing over(e was substituted bef. 1300. (Cf. OHG. obaro, MHG. obere, Ger. ober, which represents an OTeut. *uƀaro-, while the OE. forms repr. the types *uƀarōzo-, *uƀirōzo-.)
Dialectally, the form uvver |ˈʌvə(r)| is still widely current for the adjective (see E.D.D.); so that the ME. spelling over(e (as in the later Layamon text for the earlier uvere) may originally have been only graphical, ov (ou) for uv (uu, vu), as in above, dove, love, etc. But in ME. the adj. fell together in use with over- adv. in comb., from which indeed it cannot always be separated, many important examples being written either way; thus, the OE. ufera lippa, in mod. dial. uvverlip, occurs in Chaucer MSS. as over(e lippe and overlippe. This would naturally tend to level the pronunciation of over from ufera with that of over- from OE. ofer-, a result prob. completed in Standard Eng. during the ME. period. And this identification led further to the adjectival use of the adverbial prefix in other senses: e.g. 3, 4.
Although originally itself a comparative form, over having no positive of its own has been in some respects treated as positive, and has been compared with overer, overest (so OHG. obarôro, obarôst, mod.Ger. oberer, oberst), and overmore, overmost, only the last of which is now in (occasional) use. See these.]
1. The upper, the higher in position.
Only attrib., prec. by the or an equiv., and used of one of two things, the other being the nether, lower, or under. Now obs. or dial. exc. as preserved in comb., and in place-names of villages, farms, fields, etc.
αc897K. ælfred Gregory's Past. C. iii. 32 Ðone wisdom ðara uferrena gasta. a900tr. Bæda's Hist. v. ii, On ðam uferan dæle ðæs heafdes. a1225Ancr. R. 332 Þe two grindstones: þe neðere þet lið stille. Þe vuere ston bitocneð hope. c1275XI Pains of Hell 98 in O.E. Misc. 150 Summe..stondeþ vp to heore kneon And summe to heore myd⁓þeyh And summe to heore vuere breyh. 1788[see overlip]. 1879G. F. Jackson Shropsh. Word-bk. s.v., ‘Who lives i' the uvver 'ouse now?’
βa1300Sat. People Kildare iv. in E.E.P. (1862) 153 Hit is at þe ouir end crokid as a gaffe. a1300Cursor M. 539–40 Þe ouer fir gis man his sight, Þat ouer air of hering might. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 125 Þe ouer Galilea and þe neþer Galilea. 1398― Barth. De P.R. iv. vii. (1495) 90 In the nether partes of the body blode is blacker than in the ouer partes. c1450Bk. Curtasye 36 in Babees Bk. 300 Pare þy brede and kerue in two, Tho ouer crust þo nether fro. 15..Sir A. Barton xxv. in Surtees Misc. (1888) 71 He shoott throughe his over decke. 1526R. Whitford Martiloge (1893) 161 Theyr ouer tethe knocked out. 1551Robinson tr. More's Utop. ii. v. (1895) 163 The ouer ende of the halle. 1596Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 14 In vuir Clydisdale and in nethir Clidisdale. 1610P. Barrough Meth. Physick i. xxxi. (1639) 51 With your left hand lift up the over eyelid. 1715Pennecuik Descr. Tweeddale, etc. 13 Here stands..Rommano Grange, Over and Nether.
b. Placed so as, or serving, to cover something else; upper, outer.
Now usually written in comb., as over-garment, overcoat; see over- 8 c and the Main words.
c1000Sax. Leechd. II. 224 Þæt uferre hrif. c1050Suppl. ælfric's Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 188/15 Ependeton, cop, uel hoppada, uel ufrescrud. c1386[see overslop]. 1535Coverdale Exod. xxviii. 25 The two shulders of the ouer body cote. 1598Knaresborough Wills (Surtees) I. 216 One paire of over britches. 1601Holland Pliny I. 518 The ouer rind or barke would be taken away. 1889John Bull 2 Mar. 150/1 A skirt of black satin with over drapery of guipure lace.
2. fig. Higher in power, authority, or station; upper, superior.
In existing words usually written in comb., as over-superior, overlord; see over- 2 and the Main words.
c1205Lay. 1520 Wheðer ich maȝe þe ufere [c 1275 ouere] hond habben of þan kinge. Ibid. 1289 Ah Brutus hefde þa ouere hond. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 5152 Þe king of west sex adde euere þe ouere hond. c1485Digby Myst. (1882) v. 300 Se that the nether parte of reason In no wyse ther-to lende, than the ouer parte shall haue fre domynacion. 1570Satir. Poems Reform. xxiii. 90 His Kirk sall haue the ouer hand. 1780Voy. to Japan in Phil. Trans. LXX. App. 2 These Over Banjoses may be compared to the Mandarins of China... They inspect every thing. 1874Act 37 & 38 Vict. c. 94 §7 No consolidation..shall..extend the rights or interests of any over superior.
3. That is in excess or in addition; remaining beyond the normal amount; surplus, extra. (See over adv. 8, over- 19.)
1494Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 13 The half-deal of the over Price of her, being above vi.s. viii.d. to be to the King. 1832H. Martineau Homes Abroad v. 74, I am soon to begin building you a house at over hours. 1896Daily News 21 Nov. 3/3 He knew nothing about the practice..whether over or spoiled copies were given to the employés.
4. That is in excess of what is right or proper; too great, excessive.
Now mostly written in comb., as over-hastiness, over-care: see over- 29 and the Main words.
1561J. Daus tr. Bullinger on Apoc. (1573) 69 b, Through our owne ouer curiousnesse in searchyng and siftyng Gods workes. 1596Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. i. 105 Thair ouir haistines, and ouer bent to reuenge. 1710E. Ward Brit. Hud. 38 To..cool him after two Hours sweating, With over Pains, and over Prating. 1758S. Hayward Serm. xvi. 469 Occasioned by an over thirst for government. 1801tr. Gabrielli's Myst. Husb. IV. 45 Had my over precautions rendered you..miserable. 1849Ruskin Sev. Lamps ii. §1. 29 Without over care as to which is largest or blackest.
†5. Later, after. (In form ufera, uvere.) Obs.
c893K. ælfred Oros. iv. v. §2 Þy læs hit monn uferan doᵹore wræcce. c1000Sax. Leechd. III. 438 Eallum þæm þe þa stowe on uferum tidum ᵹeseoð. c1205Lay. 27794 Þat he mihte an uuere daȝe[n] [c 1275 þar after] Ȝelpen uor þere dede(n).
▪ VI. ˈover, v.
Also north. and Sc. our, ower, owre.
[f. over adv. Cf. L. superāre.]
†1. trans. To make higher (in amount); to raise, increase. In quot. 1602 absol. To go to a higher figure (by so much). Obs.
1546Supplic. of Poore Commons (E.E.T.S.) 80 Oueryng both fynes & rentes, beyond all reason and conscience. 1550Crowley Epigr. 1206 To leauye greate fines, or to ouer the rent. 1602Carew Cornwall 37 b, They will rather take bargaines, at these excessiue fines, then a tolerable improved rent, being in no sort willing to ouer a penny.
2. To leap or jump over; to clear.
1837Dickens Pickw. xxix, Playing at leap-frog with the tombstones:..‘overing’ the highest among them, one after the other, with the most marvellous dexterity. 1882Society 28 Oct. 19/1 You never made mud pies, or played at tipcat, or ‘overed’ a post.
†3. To get the better of, to master. Sc. Obs.
1456Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 228 A seke man that may nocht our himself in syk a rage and malady. Ibid. 271 Gif ony of thame may our his falow, be ony habilitee or strenthe, or suteltee.
4. ellipt. To get over; to pass over. dial.
1825Jamieson s.v., ‘He never over'd the loss of that bairn’. 1825Brockett N.C. Gloss. s.v., I'm sadly afraid she'll never over it. 1847A. Brontë Agnes Grey xi. 163, I was sore distressed Miss Grey—thank God it's owered now. Ibid. xii. 185 You'll both stay while this shower gets owered. 1855Robinson Whitby Gloss. s.v., ‘It ower'd a bit’, it ceased a little,—the rain. [See E.D.D.] 1933L. A. G. Strong Sea Wall ii. xiv. 219 He done an operation on a woman and she never overed it. 1936‘N. Blake’ Thou Shell of Death xiii. 231 Master Dermot was killed in France, the year of the Easter Rising. His da never overed it. 1949Amer. Speech XXIV. 111 Over, to recover from, as a disease or an injury. |