v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Overlaid p. pr. & vb. n. Overlaying. ] 1. To lay, or spread, something over or across; hence, to cover; to overwhelm; to press excessively upon. [ 1913 Webster ]

When any country is overlaid by the multitude which live upon it. Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

As when a cloud his beams doth overlay. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Framed of cedar overlaid with gold. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

And overlay
With this portentous bridge the dark abyss. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Specifically: To cover (an object made of an inexpensive metal, glass, or other material) with a thin sheet of an expensive metal, especially with silver or gold. Distinguished from to plate, which is done by a chemical or electrical deposition process. [ PJC ]

3. To smother with a close covering, or by lying upon. [ 1913 Webster ]

This woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it. 1 Kings iii. 19. [ 1913 Webster ]

A heap of ashes that o'erlays your fire. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Printing) To put an overlay on. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A covering. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Printing) A piece of paper pasted upon the tympan sheet to improve the impression by making it stronger at a particular place. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Computers) A subroutine which occupies a portion of main memory which is occupied at some other time by another subroutine during execution of the same program. Overlays were used as an older technique to allow larger programs to be executed in restricted main memory space; the same effect is now accomplished by different techniques. [ PJC ]

n. One who overlays; that with which anything is overlaid. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A superficial covering; a coating. [ 1913 Webster ]