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. obarro, MLG. overe, OHG. obaro, obero, etc. (MHG. and G. obere, ober); cf. ON. øfri (Icel. efri), MSw. öfre, öffre (Sw. öfre), Da. øvre (Norw.), øver. See also OVER a.]

1

  1.  a. That is higher or loftier in position; upper; = OVER a. 1.

2

c. 825.  Vesp. Psalter, ciii. 3. Ðu biðeces in wetrum ða uferran his.

3

c. 897–c. 1275.  [see OVER a. 1 α].

4

1372.  Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 151. Baronia de Uvyrcrelyne.

5

1424.  in Antiq. Aberd. & Banff (1862), IV. 388. Terras de … Nethirbulgny, Wuirbulgny, Midilmast Bulgny. Ibid. (1495), 439. Terrarum de Vuer Towiis, Nethir Towiis.

6

1511.  Reg. Privy Seal Scotl., I. 342/2. Litera … super terris de le Uver part de Lany.

7

1550.  Abstr. Protocols Town Clerks of Glasgow (1894), I. 18. The foir uvyr hows, viz., hall, chalmer and wairdrop, with the peis waist.

8

1596.  Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. 14. In vuir Clydisdale and in nethir Clidisdale.

9

1703.  Thoresby, Lett. to Ray, Uvver, for upper, or over.

10

1808.  Jamieson, s.v. Ouer.

11

1824.  [Carr], Craven Gloss., 8. Th’ uvver side o’ th’ Gill.

12

1828–.  in Yks., Derby, Leics., Northampt., and Shropsh. dialect use (Eng. Dial. Dict., s.v. OVER a. 21).

13

  b.  Uver lip, the upper lip; = OVER-LIP.

14

1027–34.  Laws of Cnut, in Liebermann, 334. Þonne do man ut his eaʓan, & ceorfan of … his earan & þa uferan lippan.

15

1788.  [see OVER-LIP].

16

1854.  Miss Baker, Northampt. Gloss., 373.

17

1864.  B. Preston, Poems, 10 (E.D.D.). His hair … spraated aht fro’ t’ uvvor lip.

18

1876.  Whitby Gloss., 209.

19

  c.  Uver hand, the ‘upper hand’; the superiority or mastery; = OVER-HAND sb.

20

c. 1205.  Lay., 18325. Þa wes hit swa ufel idon, þæt þat hæðene uolc þa ufere hond hafeden.

21

1562.  Winȝet, Wks. (S.T.S.), I. 50, margin. The wicket hes the vuir hand.

22

1808.  Jamieson, s.v. Ouer, The uvir hand, the upper hand.

23

1828.  Craven Gloss., II. 25. To have the … uvver-hand.

24

1891.  Sheffield Gloss., Suppl. 42. He’s got t’ uvver hand of him.

25

  † 2.  Later; after; future; = OVER a. 5. Obs.

26

Beowulf, 2200. Eft þæt ʓe-iode ufaran dogrum.

27

c. 1000, c. 1205.  [see OVER a. 5].

28

c. 1205.  Lay., 26035. Þa nolde Arður on slepen na wiht hine areppen, leste he an uferre daȝe up-bræid.

29