break cover

1. Suddenly emerge from a hiding place, as in The shots distracted our pursuers long enough so that we could break cover and make a run for it. This term originally alluded to animals being hunted, a frequent usage in the 16th century. Now that hunting is a less common pursuit, it is used for human beings.

Example Sentences

Those who remain, like 59-year-old Ihor, only break cover to find the bare essentials.

From BBC

“If war comes,” said a Chinese state television report in 2018, “this nuclear arsenal that shuttles underground will break cover where the enemy least expects and fire off its missiles.”

From New York Times

As they break cover and pull back, the Russian soldiers are more vulnerable.

From New York Times

After we saw this prototype 500Hz gaming monitor break cover in early 2022, I didn’t think that laptop manufacturers would be quick to bring a laptop that fast to market.

From The Verge

Boris Johnson's premiership is coming under pressure, as more Tory MPs break cover to criticise his fitness for office in the wake of Partygate.

From BBC