overly

== English == === Etymology 1 === From over +‎ -ly (adverbial suffix). ==== Adverb ==== overly (not comparable) (sometimes proscribed) To an excessive degree. Synonyms: too, excessively, superfluously (usually negative) To a high degree; very. (obsolete) Superficially. 1566, Thomas Blundeville, The Fower Chiefyst Offices Belongyng to Horsemanshippe, London, “The true Arte of Paring, and shooyng all maner of Houes together […] ,” Chapter 5,[5] […] let him not touche the quarters nor the heeles at al, vnlesse it be to make the seat of the shoe playne, & let that be done so superficially or ouerly as maye be, so shall the houes remayne alwayes strong. 1678, George Mackenzie, The Laws and Customes of Scotland, in Matters Criminal, Edinburgh, Part 1, “Some Crimes punished amongst the Romans, which are not directly in use with us,” p. 347,[7] […] I resolved here to touch overly even those crimes which are little considered among us, not only that we might thereby know the genius of that wise Nation; but that we may consider how far it were fit to renew amongst us these excellent Laws. (obsolete) Carelessly, without due attention. (obsolete) With a sense of superiority, haughtily. ===== Usage notes ===== The word is sometimes deemed erroneous. The American source M-W's Webster's Dictionary of English Usage, 1989, eventually settles on accepting it, but has this to say: "Bache 1869 and Ayres 1881 succinctly insulted contemporaries who used this word, calling them vulgar and unschooled. Times have changed: modern critics merely insult the word itself. Follett 1966, for example, claims that overly is useless, superfluous, and unharmonious, and should be replaced by the prefix over-. Bryson 1984 adds that 'when this becomes overinelegant ... the alternative is to find another adverb [...]'." The prefix over- is safer, and accepted by all: "He seemed over-anxious." M-W, AHD4, and RH include the word without comment, and OED notes only "After the Old English period, rare (outside Scotland and North America) until the 20th cent." In most cases "too" or "excessively" would be better choices than "over-". ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === From over +‎ -ly (adjectival suffix). ==== Adjective ==== overly (comparative more overly, superlative most overly) (obsolete) Superficial; not thorough; careless, negligent, inattentive. (obsolete) Having a sense of superiority, haughty. (obsolete) Excessive; too great. ===== Derived terms ===== === Anagrams === lovyer, volery, volyer