Definition of OVERLAY

overlay

Plural: overlays

Noun

  • protective covering consisting, for example, of a layer of boards applied to the studs and joists of a building to strengthen it and serve as a foundation for a weatherproof exterior
  • a layer of decorative material (such as gold leaf or wood veneer) applied over a surface
  • An image to be overlaid on another; a superimposition or diapositive.
  • A piece of paper pasted upon the tympan sheet to improve the impression by making it stronger at a particular place.
  • Odds which are set higher than expected or warranted. Favorable odds.
  • A horse going off at higher odds than it appears to warrant, based on its past performances.
  • A decal attached to a computer keyboard to relabel the keys.
  • A block of program code that is loaded over something previously loaded, so as to replace the functionality.
  • A pop-up covering an existing part of the display.
  • A cravat.
  • A covering over something else.

Verb

Verb Forms: overlaid, overlaying, overlays

  • To lay or spread something over another.
  • put something on top of something else
  • kill by lying on
    • "The sow overlay her piglets"
  • lie upon; lie on top of
  • kill by lying on
    • "The sow overlay her piglets"
  • To lay, spread, or apply (something) over or across (something else); to overspread.
  • To overwhelm; to press excessively upon.
  • To lie over (someone, especially a child) in order to smother it; to suffocate.
  • To put an overlay on.
  • To bet too much money on.
  • simple past of overlie

Examples

  • She decided to overlay her word "QUIZ" across two existing words for a huge score.
  • She will now overlay fruit on top of the crust.
  • She will now overlay the crust with fruit.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English overleyen, from Old English oferleċġan, from Proto-West Germanic *obarlaggjan, from Proto-Germanic *uberlagjaną, equivalent to over- + lay. Cognate with Saterland Frisian uurläze, úurlääse, Dutch overleggen, German Low German overleggen, överleggen, German überlegen, Swedish överlägga, Norwegian overlegge. Compare overlie.

Scrabble Score: 13

overlay: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
overlay: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
overlay: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 14

overlay: valid Words With Friends Word