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.

Overset(t, v. Also: ovir-, ovyr-, ower-; p.t. and p.p. -set(t. [ME. oversette(n (c 1200), e.m.E. overset etc., p.t. and p.p. -set(te (1422). Cf. also Ourset(t.]

1. tr. To press hard; to overpower or overwhelm; to oppress.active 1531 Bell. Boece I. 159.
The Romanis … with gret force, ouirset the wingis quhair the wemen faucht 1535 Stewart 9451.
How the Romanis … Had him ouirset throw greit maistres and mycht And him disheireist of his landis all 1583 Sempill Warning iii.
Bot an ȝe valtir anis … Thai vill ovirsett ȝow severaliepassive (1) 1531 Bell. Boece I. 153.
The Albianis seing thaimself heir and thair sa cruelly ouirset war astonist a1578 Pitsc. I. 299/28. 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 241.
A battell … wher … the inhabitants of Sowtherland shall have a great losse … bot Catteynes shall be then so overset and overthrown that [etc.](2) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 1198.
xx^m thousand Of sturdie men … Was ordand … with thame [to] ga That thai war nocht ouirset with power ma 1540 Lynd. Sat. 588 (B).
Humanite Ouirsett with sensualitye 1549 Compl. 127/20.
My tua cruel brethir ar the cause of … my distructione for I am sa violently ouerset be them that [etc.] 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 130. Ib. 274. a1578 Pitsc. I. 143/3.
Parichit … for hunger and thrist, straitlie owersett be seigeris, ȝeit nocht the les they persewerit so stoutlie … that [etc.] Ib. 29/17.
Ovirsett 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 561.
The Scots armie were quite overthrown at Worster … being oversett with numbers at least five to one(3) 1596 Dalr. II. 381/26.
Quhill the realme this way was ouerset with weiris and halted lyke a schip amang craigs

2. a. To overthrow, cast down (spiritual faculties).active 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1950.
The sicht Of ȝone goddes grim fyrie visage bricht Ouirset my wit 1567 G. Ball. 27.
Tyme thair is In age for till amend my mys … Quhen sadnes hes ouerset my hart 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 340.
The seiknes sua ouersett my fayth 1630 Craig-Brown Selkirkshire II. 57.
Quhen sair calamitie ouirsettis ane gentill hartpassive (1) c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i. 603.
I se thy hart ouirset All in malice to lichtlie lufe that quene(2) 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 127.
Thow barrant wit ouirset with fantasyis 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 128.
My hart being ouerset with extreme feir

b. To discompose, disorder or upset (one's stomach). 1583 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 1061.
His contagious stomack Was sa owersett with Burdeous drummake

3. a. Of an inanimate agency: To overpower, overthrow, overcome (a person).active 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 733 (E).
The horribill dreid Haill me ouirset [L. ouyrset] 1603 E. Melville Godlie Dreame 22.
I preisit to pray bot sichs overset me sopassive (1) 1528 Lynd. Dreme 282.
Ouerset with schame thay did thame neuer schryue 1531 Bell. Boece I. 239.
Quhair mony of thame ouirset with slik and glar wer slane c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 81. 1599 Reg. Privy C. VI. 53.
And he wes sua ouersett with travell that he wes not able ony langer to induir 1612 Crim. Trials III. 242.
The said Johnne … altogidder ouerset with drink(2) 1635 Dickson Wr. 68.
Being cowed and overset, he becomes weak in the conflict, and staggers and falls

b. P.p. Battered and cast down (by wind). 1531 Bell. Boece I. ix.
The rose, the lillyis, and the violet, Unpullit, sone ar with the wind ouirset

c. P.p. Of a ship: Overwhelmed (by storm or sea). 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1359 (E).
And secundlie I saw ane lustie barge Ouirset with seyis 1531 Bell. Boece I. xi.
Quhay salis lang in hie prosperite Ar sone ouirset [Bann. ouerset] be stormy violence

4. a. To overcome, get over (an obstacle). b. absol. To recover (from an illness). 1531 Bell. Boece I. 151.
Na litil honour apperis to us quhilkis hes ouirset sa mony strait montanis woddis fludis and dangerus firthis of this region 1535 Stewart 21563.
This Planctius … Throw sair seiknes that tyme … Set him so soir that he micht nocht ouirset, To God and nature quhil he payit his det