Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

OWERLOWP, v., n. Also owre-loup, o'er-, over-, our-, -lop. See Lowp.

I. v. 1. To leap over, cross at a bound. Rare.Hdg. 1903 J. Lumsden Toorle 86:
A sudden spend he's ta'en frae prime o' life, Owre louping eild, intil the gulf o' death!Abd. 1995 Sheena Blackhall Lament for the Raj 7:
For, quo ma soul: "I gyang tribbled an trauchelt
Wi reengin plains an owerloupin dykes. ... "

2. To encroach or trespass upon, to overlap. The usage in quot. may be taken from the legal sense in II. 1. below, if it is not an actual misprint for overlap.Sc. 1726 A. Monro Anat. of Bones II. 74:
An Infant, one of whose Ossa parietalia overloped the other.

II. n. 1. A encroachment by farm animals on land belonging to someone else, a trespass, in grazing, etc. For phr. start and owerloup, see Start.Sc. 1776 Lord Hailes Annals I. 319:
In Scotland, an occasional trespass of cattle on a neighbouring pasture is still termed ourlop.

2. The stream-tide at the change of the moon. Cf. Owerleap, II.m.Sc. 1710 R. Sibbald Hist. Fif. (1803) 88:
At the Stream, which is at the Change of the Moon, which is call'd the Overloup.Sc. 1750 Philosoph. Trans. XLVI. 413:
In the Spring Tides which happen upon the Change of the Moon, called by the Commonalty, the Overloup.

3. A piece of self-indulgence or excess, a kicking-over the traces of self-restraint.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 100:
Though I'm a man o' little drink, I wadna been sae doons perjink, But taen an over-loup for sport.