ˈuver, a. Now dial.
Forms: 1 uferra, ufera, ufara, 2–3 ufere, 3 uferre, vfere, vuere, uuere; Sc. 4, 6 uvyr, 6 uuir, 5 wuyr, vuir, 5–6 vuer, 6, 9 uver, uvir, 9 iver, ever; dial. 8–9 uvver, 9 uvvor.
[OE. uferra, ufera, ufara (also yferra, yfera), = OS. oƀarro, MLG. overe, OHG. obaro, obero, etc. (MHG. and G. obere, ober); cf. ON. {obar}fri (Icel. efri), MSw. öfre, öffre (Sw. öfre), Da. {obar}vre (Norw.) {obar}ver. See also over a.]
1. a. That is higher or loftier in position; upper; = over a. 1.
| c 825 Vesp. Psalter ciii. 3 Ðu biðeces in wetrum ða uferran his. c 897–c 1275 [see over a. 1 α]. 1372 Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. 151 Baronia de Uvyrcrelyne. 1424 in Antiq. Aberd. & Banff (1862) IV. 388 Terras de..Nethirbulgny, Wuirbulgny, Midilmast Bulgny. 1495 Ibid. 439 Terrarum de Vuer Towiis, Nethir Towiis. 1511 Reg. Privy Seal Scotl. I. 342/2 Litera..super terris de le Uver part de Lany. 1550 Abstr. Protocols Town Clerks of Glasgow (1894) I. 18 The foir uvyr hows, viz., hall, chalmer and wairdrop, with the peis waist. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 14 In vuir Clydisdale and in nethir Clidisdale. 1703 Thoresby Let. to Ray, Uvver, for upper, or over. 1808 Jamieson s.v. Ouer. 1824 [Carr] Craven Gloss. 8 Th' uvver side o' th' Gill. 1828– in Yks., Derby, Leics., Northampt., and Shropsh. dialect use (Eng. Dial. Dict. s.v. over a. 21). |
b. uver lip, the upper lip; = over-lip.
| 1027–34 Laws of Cnut in Liebermann 334 Þonne do man ut his eaᵹan, & ceorfan of..his earan & þa uferan lippan. 1788 [see over-lip]. 1854 A. E. Baker Northampt. Gloss. 373. 1864 B. Preston Poems 10 (E.D.D.), His hair..spraated aht fro' t' uvvor lip. 1876 Whitby Gloss. 209. |
c. uver hand, the ‘upper hand’; the superiority or mastery; = over-hand n.
| c 1205 Lay. 18325 Þa wes hit swa ufel idon, þæt þat hæðene uolc þa ufere hond hafeden. 1562 Winȝet Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 50 margin, The wicket hes the vuir hand. 1808 Jamieson s.v. Ouer, The uvir hand, the upper hand. 1828 Craven Gloss. II. 25 To have the..uvver-hand. 1891 Sheffield Gloss. Suppl. 42 He's got t' uvver hand of him. |
† 2. Later; after; future; = over a. 5. Obs.
| Beowulf 2200 Eft þæt ᵹe-iode ufaran dogrum. c 1000, c 1205 [see over a. 5]. c 1205 Lay. 26035 Þa nolde Arður on slepen na wiht hine areppen, leste he an uferre daȝe up-bræid iherde. |