Ouida, an infantile corruption of Louisa. The full name is Louise de la Ramée, authoress of Under Two Flags (1867), and many other novels.
Outalissi, eagle of the Indian tribe of Onei´da, the death-enemies of the Hurons. When the Hurons attacked the fort under the command of Waldegrave (2 syl.), a general massacre was made, in which Waldegrave and his wife was slain. But Mrs. Waldegrave, before she died, committed her boy, Henry, to the charge of Outalissi, and told him to place the child in the hands of Albert of Wy´oming, her friend. This Outalissi did. After a lapse of fifteen years, one Brandt, at the head of a mixed army of British and Indians, attacked Oneida, and a general massacre was made; but Outalissi, wounded, escaped to Wyoming, just in time to give warning of the approach of Brandt. Scarcely was this done, when Brandt arrived. Albert and his daughter, Gertrude, were both shot, and the whole settlement was extirpated.—Campbell, Gertrude of Wyoming (1809).
Outis (Greek for “nobody”), a name assumed by Odysseus (Ulysses) in the cave of Polypheme (3 syl.). When the monster roared with pain from the loss of his eye, his brother giants demanded who was hurting him. “Outis” (Nobody), thundered out Polypheme, and his companions left him.—Homer, Odyssey.
Outram (Lance), park-keeper to Sir Geoffrey Peveril.—Sir W. Scott, Peveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.).
Overdees (Rowley), a highwayman.—Sir W. Scott, Guy Mannering (time, George II.).
O´verdo (Justice), in Ben Jonson’s Bartholomew Fair (1614).
Overdone (Mistress), a bawd.—Shakespeare, Measure for Measure (1603).
Overreach (Sir Giles), Wellborn’s uncle. An unscrupulous, hard-hearted rascal, grasping and proud. He ruined the estates both of Wellborn and Allworth, and by overreaching grew enormously rich. His ambition was to see his daughter Margaret marry a peer; but the overreacher was overreached. Thinking Wellborn was about to marry the rich dowager Allworth, he not only paid all his debts, but supplied his present wants most liberally, under the delusion “if she prove his, all that is her’s is mine.” Having thus done, he finds that Lady Allworth does not marry Wellborn, but Lord Lovell. In regard to Margaret, fancying she was sure to marry Lord Lovell, he gives his full consent to her marriage; but finds she returns from church not Lady Lovell, but Mrs. Allworth.—Massinger, A New Way to Pay Old Debts (1628).
*** The prototype of “Sir Giles Overreach” was Sir Giles Mompesson, a usurer outlawed for his misdeeds.
Overs (John), a ferryman who used to ferry passengers from Southwark to the City, and accumulated a considerable hoard of money by his savings. On one occasion, to save the expenses of board, he simulated death, expecting his servants would fast till he was buried; but they broke into his larder and cellar and held riot. When the old miser could bear it no longer he started up and belabored his servants right and left; but one of them struck the old man with an oar and killed him.