Overt

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  overt \o"vert\ ([=o]*v[~e]rt" or [=o]"v[~e]rt), 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.
     Perh. from L. aperire influenced by F. couvrir to cover. Cf.
     {Aperient}, {Cover}.]


     [1913 Webster]
     1. Open to view; public; apparent; manifest. Opposite of
        {hidden}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Overt and apparent virtues bring forth praise.
                                                    --Bacon.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Law) Not covert; open; public; manifest; as, an overt act
        of treason. --Macaulay.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: In criminal law, an overt act is an open act 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.
           [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

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

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  22 Moby Thesaurus words for "overt":
     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
  
  

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  OVERT. Open. An overt act in treason is proof of the intention of the 
  traitor, because it opens his designs; without an overt act treason cannot 
  be committed. 2 Chit: Cr. Law, 40. An overt act then, is one which manifests 
  the intention of the traitor, to commit treason. Archb. Cr. Pl. 379 4 Bl. 
  Com. 79. 
       2. The mere contemplation or intention to commit a crime; although a 
  sin in the sight of heaven, is not an act amenable to human laws. The were 
  speculative wantonness of a licentious imagination, however dangerous, or 
  even sanguinary in its object, can in no case amount to a crime. But the 
  moment that any overt act is manifest, the offender becomes amenable to the 
  laws. Vide Attempt; Conspiracy, and Cro. Car. 577.