1548–67 W. Thomas Ital. Gram. & Dict. Pendice, the ouerhangynge or holowe of a rocke.

1600 R. Chambers Palestina 19 This mountaine..was vnaccessible, but on the East side, for the exceeding great steepenesse, and ouer-hanging of the toppe thereof on all the other sides.

1776 W. Marshall Minutes Agric. 13 Oct. (1778) He trimmed-back the over-hangings of the outside furrow of a field of wheat.

1831 Lady's Bk. July 127/2 The shape being indistinct in its regular but not formal over-fallings, and over-foldings, and over-hangings of light and shade.

1993 Super Marketing 15 Jan. 26/2 We cut the frills to cut your bills—that's Shoprite's message to customers, usually by way of bright yellow overhangings in its stores.

1592 T. Nashe Pierce Penilesse (Brit. Libr. copy) sig. E2 The Rockes with their ouer-hanging iawes, eate vp all the fragments of oake.

1604 W. Shakespeare Hamlet ii. ii. 302 Looke you, this braue orehanging firmament, this maiesticall roofe fretted with golden fire. View more context for this quotation

1757 J. Dyer Fleece iv. 152 Inaccessible Wreck-threat'ning Staten-lands o'erhanging shore.

1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps i. ix. 63 I descended, and found my friend beneath an overhanging rock.

1983 G. Lord Tooth & Claw 61 The sun stood on the ridge behind the house throwing the overhanging cliffs into green darkness.