Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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OWERLAY, n., v. Also owr(e)-, our-, o'er-, oor-, over-; ourlie. [n. ′ʌu(ə)rle, v. ʌur′le]

I. n. ‡1. A necktie, cravat, orig. “a neck-cloth worn by men, which hung down before, and was tied behind” (Sc. 1808 Jam., 1821 Scott Pirate v.; e.Lth. 1889 J. Lumsden Lays 99; Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1915–26 Wilson); a scarf (Slk. 1949).Abd. c.1700 J. Maidment New Book of Old Ballads (1885) 10:
Ane ourlar [sic] bout hims craigie.Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shep. i. ii.:
He falds his owrelay down his breast with care.Sc. 1776 D. Herd Sc. Songs II. 145:
I will wash my ploughman's hose, And I will wash his o'erlay.Ags. 1818 Scots Mag. (Sept.) 235:
His o'erlay, or neckcloth, is an oblong piece of linen cut to right angles, the ends of which are buttoned in his vest.Wgt. 1877 G. Fraser Sketches 210:
Wi' oorlay ticht, an' warm grey plaid.Per. 1896 D. Kippen Crieff 279:
Wi bonnet sae vaunty an owerlay sae clean.

2. “A kind of hem, in which one part of the cloth is folded or laid over the other” (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Cai. 1903 E.D.D.; Sh., ne.Sc., Ags., Lnk., Rxb. 1964).

3. An iron bar, gen. bent into an oval or U-shape, with a handle at one side, laid across an open fire as a rest for pots, kettles, etc. (Abd. 1959). Cf. legoer'em, id., s.v. Leg.Ags. 1793 Private MS. (per Fif.¹):
Two Overlays and Collop Tongs.

4. In quarrying: the material which overlies the rock which is to be worked (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 48).

5. Outlay, expense.Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail xxxix.:
T'ou canna expek, Girzy, that I would wrang our bairns wi' ony mair overlay on thy account.

II. v. 1. To cover over, clothe.Abd. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 22:
Wi' braws I seldom cock my biskit . . . Thinkin it best to be owre-laid in A suit o' sonsy hap-warm plaidin.

2. To sew a hem as in n., 2. (Sc. 1825 Jam.; I.Sc., Ags. 1964).

3. To pasture one's animals unlawfully on another man's grass, to encroach with grazing animals.Sc. c.1733 in P.S.A.S. (1891–2) 197:
By tethering, herding, and folding, as well by day as by night, and not to pasture upon or overlay others with their cattle.