A false overshirt, jacket, or vest that is attached to the bodice or shirt of a garment.
No 2—Is the Overfront, forming a jacket that opens over the fullness.1887 April, Emily H. May, “Girl's Frock: with Supplement”, in New Peterson's Magazine, volume 91, number 4, page 377:
The straight overfronts and back of the gown were made in Ondine silk , shot blue and faint yellow with an opalescent effect1894, “What to Wear: Chit-Chat on Dress”, in Cassell's Family Magazine:
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A garment of the general character described, comprising an open-front under-body shirt, and an over-front thereon consisting of a lower abdominal body portion having lateral extensions attached to the side portions of the under-body shirt, and divergent upwardly extended strap portions connected to the shoulder portions of the under-body shirt, said overfront being connected to said under-body shirt adjacent its lower edge whereby to form pockets between the under-body shirt and the over-front.1943, Frederick W. Bryant, “Sports Shirt”, in Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, page 526:
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A decorative wall hanging or dorsal that sits behind the altar and matches the netherfront.
Or when they had four columns to hold up the overfront and riddells, these were often utilised to carry a taper on each.1904, Essays on Ceremonial, page 7:
It seems quite possible that the 'greater sorte' of silk pictures in particular were intended to adorn an altar, either as an overfront, a netherfront or even a reredos.2016, Sarah Hamilton, Andrew Spicer, Defining the Holy:
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The most noteworthy altar-cloths were a set given by Alice Chester, the overfront representing our Lord rising out of the Sepulchre, sometimes called our Lord's Pity, with a netherfront and two curtains all "of one work."1904, Transactions - Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, page 258:
Doubling of the Reere, your battaile will be both lengthened and strengthned , And so by the sudden bringing of these Supplies into the reere, you may not only relieve your owne, but happily overfront your enemy.1643, William Barriffe, Military Discipline: or the Yong Artillery Man, page 72:
When things indifferent shall be set to overfront us under the banners of sin , what wonder if we be routed , and by this art of our adversary fall into the subjection of worst and deadliest offences ?1643, J[ohn] M[ilton], The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce: […], London: […] T[homas] P[aine] and M[atthew] S[immons] […], →OCLC:
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The first, a foe no tempest can unbend; The next more supple, but a dangerous friend; This flies the storm he dares not to oppose, That boldly stands, to overfront his foes;1807, Voltaire, The Henriade, Translated by Daniel French, Esq., page 154: