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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

overliness en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /ˈəʊvəlɪnəs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ˈoʊvəɹlɪnəs/ (General-American)

Etymology

From overly + -ness.

Meanings

  1. (obsolete, uncountable) The quality or state of being overly. ▸ Carelessness, inattentiveness, negligence.
  2. (obsolete, uncountable) The quality or state of being overly. ▸ A sense of superiority; haughtiness.
    • VVould God ouerlineſſe and contempt vvere not yours, euen to them vvhich are mounted higheſt vpon beſt deſert; […] 1610, Jos[eph] Hall, “Section II. The Answerers Preamble.”, in A Common Apologie of the Church of England: Against the Uniust Challenges of the Ouer-iust Sect, Commonly Called Brownists. […], London: […] [William Stansby] for Samuel Macham, […], →OCLC, page 4: