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# overly

adverb (overly)

«overly» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

Overly means too much, more than needed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/overly/#m1)

### In the lessons

Used in everyday and school talk, often with «not»: «not overly keen» means not very keen (a polite, understated way of speaking).

### Examples

- Don't be overly worried about the test. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/overly/#x1)
- The film was overly long. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/overly/#x2)
- I'm not overly fond of broccoli. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/overly/#x3)
- She was overly polite to the visitors. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/overly/#x4)
- The rules seemed overly strict. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/overly/#x5)
- He was overly careful with the eggs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/overly/#x6)

### Note

Used before an adjective: overly long, overly careful. «Not overly» is a gentle way of saying «not very». More common in US English; in the UK people also say «too» or «over-».

## In Jewish tradition

Used in everyday and school talk, often with «not»: «not overly keen» means not very keen (a polite, understated way of speaking).

### Examples

- The appearance of this root in the SY’s introductory paragraph serves as a reminder that although we embark upon a text rich in vivid, grounded symbolism—even anthropomorphism—we should not hasten to take such symbolic language overly literally. (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/overly/#x1)

### Note

Used before an adjective: overly long, overly careful. «Not overly» is a gentle way of saying «not very». More common in US English; in the UK people also say «too» or «over-».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «overly» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/overly/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«overly» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/overly.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «overly» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/overly/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«overly» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/overly.html) on Mova free.