from
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
TO OVERRULE. To annul, to make void. This word is frequently used to signify
that a case has been decided directly opposite to a former case; when this
takes place, the first decided case is said to be overruled as a precedent,
and cannot any longer be considered as of binding authority.
2. Mr. Greenleaf has made a very valuable collection of overruled
cases, of great service to the practitioner.
3. The term overrule also signifies that a majority of the judges have
decided against the opinion of the minority, in which case the latter are
said to be overruled.