Noun

(en noun)

(legal) A common law doctrine developed in England during the Middle Ages, whereby a woman's legal existence, upon marriage, was subsumed by that of her husband, particularly with regard to ownership of property and protection.

Shelter, hiding place.

* 1599 ,

*:URSULA. The pleasant'st angling is to see the fish

*:Cut with her golden oars the silver stream,

*:And greedily devour the treacherous bait:

*:So angle we for Beatrice; who even now

*:Is couched in the woodbine coverture .

Noun

(en noun)

(obsolete) An opening; a recess or chamber.

* Chapman

the cave's inmost overture

(obsolete) disclosure; discovery; revelation

* Shakespeare

It was he / That made the overture of thy treasons to us.

(often in plural) An approach or proposal made to initiate communication, establish a relationship etc.

* {{quote-news

, year=2012 , date=April 23 , author=Angelique Chrisafis , title=François Hollande on top but far right scores record result in French election , work=the Guardian citation , page= , passage=Sarkozy gave a defiant speech, going on the offensive and betraying no hint of having been beaten. He styled the result as a "crisis" vote, by a French population which was "suffering". In a clear overture to Le Pen's voters, and the extreme-right motto of loving France, he said: "I call on all French people who put love of their country above partisan considerations, to unite and join me."}}

* 1994 , Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom , Abacus 2010, p. 20:

My mother had no choice; one did not turn down such an overture from the regent.

(Scotland) A motion placed before a legislative body, such as the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

(music) a musical introduction to a piece of music.