Adjacent Words

Overt definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

O'VERT, a. [L. aperio.]
Open to view; public; apparent; as overt virtues; an overt essay. But the word is now used chiefly in law. Thus an overt act of treason is distinguished from secret design or intention not carried into effect, and even from words spoken. A market overt, is a place where goods are publicly exposed to sale. A pound over, is one open overhead, as distinguished from a pound covert or close.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: open and observable; not secret or hidden; "an overt lie"; "overt hostility"; "overt intelligence gathering"; "open ballots" [syn: overt, open] [ant: covert]

Merriam Webster's

adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from past participle of ovrir to open, from Vulgar Latin *operire, alteration of Latin aperire Date: 14th century open to view ; manifest <overt hostility> • overtly adverb • overtness noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. unconcealed; done openly. Derivatives: overtly adv. overtness n. Etymology: ME f. OF past part. of ovrir open f. L aperire

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Letter Let"ter, n. [OE. lettre, F. lettre, OF. letre, fr. L. littera, litera, a letter; pl., an epistle, a writing, literature, fr. linere, litum, to besmear, to spread or rub over; because one of the earliest modes of writing was by graving the characters upon tablets smeared over or covered with wax. --Pliny, xiii. 11. See Liniment, and cf. Literal.] 1. A mark or character used as the representative of a sound, or of an articulation of the human organs of speech; a first element of written language. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew. --Luke xxiii. 38. 2. A written or printed communication; a message expressed in intelligible characters on something adapted to conveyance, as paper, parchment, etc.; an epistle. The style of letters ought to be free, easy, and natural. --Walsh. 3. A writing; an inscription. [Obs.] None could expound what this letter meant. --Chaucer. 4. Verbal expression; literal statement or meaning; exact signification or requirement. We must observe the letter of the law, without doing violence to the reason of the law and the intention of the lawgiver. --Jer. Taylor. I broke the letter of it to keep the sense. --Tennyson. 5. (Print.) A single type; type, collectively; a style of type. Under these buildings . . . was the king's printing house, and that famous letter so much esteemed. --Evelyn. 6. pl. Learning; erudition; as, a man of letters. 7. pl. A letter; an epistle. [Obs.] --Chaucer. Dead letter, Drop letter, etc. See under Dead, Drop, etc. Letter book, a book in which copies of letters are kept. Letter box, a box for the reception of letters to be mailed or delivered. Letter carrier, a person who carries letters; a postman; specif., an officer of the post office who carries letters to the persons to whom they are addressed, and collects letters to be mailed. Letter cutter, one who engraves letters or letter punches. Letter lock, a lock that can not be opened when fastened, unless certain movable lettered rings or disks forming a part of it are in such a position (indicated by a particular combination of the letters) as to permit the bolt to be withdrawn. A strange lock that opens with AMEN. --Beau. & Fl. Letter paper, paper for writing letters on; especially, a size of paper intermediate between note paper and foolscap. See Paper. Letter punch, a steel punch with a letter engraved on the end, used in making the matrices for type. Letters of administration (Law), the instrument by which an administrator or administratrix is authorized to administer the goods and estate of a deceased person. Letter of attorney, Letter of credit, etc. See under Attorney, Credit, etc. Letter of license, a paper by which creditors extend a debtor's time for paying his debts. Letters close or clause (Eng. Law.), letters or writs directed to particular persons for particular purposes, and hence closed or sealed on the outside; -- distinguished from letters patent. --Burrill. Letters of orders (Eccl.), a document duly signed and sealed, by which a bishop makes it known that he has regularly ordained a certain person as priest, deacon, etc. Letters patent, overt, or open (Eng. Law), a writing executed and sealed, by which power and authority are granted to a person to do some act, or enjoy some right; as, letters patent under the seal of England. Letter-sheet envelope, a stamped sheet of letter paper issued by the government, prepared to be folded and sealed for transmission by mail without an envelope. Letters testamentary (Law), an instrument granted by the proper officer to an executor after probate of a will, authorizing him to act as executor. Letter writer. (a) One who writes letters. (b) A machine for copying letters. (c) A book giving directions and forms for the writing of letters.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Overt O"vert, a. [OF. overt, F. ouvert, p. p. of OF. ovrir, F. ouvrir, to open, of uncertain origin; cf. It. aprire, OIt. also oprire, L. aperire to open, operire to cover, deoperire to uncover. Perch. from L. aperire influenced by F. couvrir to cover. Cf. Aperient, Cover.] 1. Open to view; public; apparent; manifest. Overt and apparent virtues bring forth praise. --Bacon. 2. (Law) Not covert; open; public; manifest; as, an overt act of treason. --Macaulay. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court. --Constitution of the U. S. Note: In criminal law, an overt act is an open done in pursuance and manifestation of a criminal design; the mere design or intent not being punishable without such act. In English law, market overt is an open market; a pound overt is an open, uncovered pound.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

An overt action or attitude is done or shown in an open and obvious way. Although there is no overt hostility, black and white students do not mix much. = open ADJ: usu ADJ n • overtly He's written a few overtly political lyrics over the years. = openly ADV: usu ADV adj

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. 1. Open, manifest, public, patent, notorious, glaring, apparent. 2. (Law.) Open, manifest.

Moby Thesaurus

apparent, bald, bare, clear, clear-cut, disclosed, evident, exposed, manifest, naked, observable, obvious, open, open as day, open to all, patent, plain, public, revealed, unclassified, unconcealed, visible