cover

[ kuhv-er ]

/ ˈkʌv ər /

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See synonyms for: cover / covered / covering / covers on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to be or serve as a covering for; extend over; rest on the surface of: Snow covered the fields.

to place something over or upon, as for protection, concealment, or warmth.

to provide with a covering or top: Cover the pot with a lid.

to protect or conceal (the body, head, etc.) with clothes, a hat, etc; wrap.

to bring upon (oneself): He covered himself with glory by his exploits.

to hide from view; screen.

to spread on or over; apply to: to cover bread with honey.

to put all over the surface of: to cover a wall with paint.

to include, deal with, or provide for; address: The rules cover working conditions.

to suffice to defray or meet (a charge, expense, etc.): Ten dollars should cover the cost of a taxi.

to offset (an outlay, loss, liability, etc.).

to achieve in distance traversed; pass or travel over: We covered 600 miles a day on our trip.

Journalism.

to act as a reporter or reviewer of (an event, a field of interest, a performance, etc.); have as an assignment: She covers sports for the paper.
to publish or broadcast a report or reports of (a news item, a series of related events, etc.): The press covered the trial in great detail.

to pass or rise over and surmount or envelop: The river covered the town during the flood.

Insurance. to insure against risk or loss.

to serve as a defense for; shelter; protect.

Military.

to be in line with by occupying a position directly before or behind.
to protect (a soldier, force, or military position) during an expected period of ground combat by taking a position from which any hostile troops can be fired upon.

to take temporary charge of or responsibility for in place of another: Please cover my phone while I'm out to lunch.

to extend over; encompass: The book covers 18th-century England.

to be assigned to or responsible for, as a territory or field of endeavor: We have two sales representatives covering the Southwest.

to aim at, as with a pistol.

to have within range, as a fortress does adjacent territory.

to play a card higher than (the one led or previously played in the round).

to deposit the equivalent of (money deposited), as in wagering.

to accept the conditions of (a bet, wager, etc.).

Finance. (in short selling) to purchase securities or commodities in order to deliver them to the broker from whom they were borrowed.

Baseball. to take a position close to or at (a base) so as to catch a ball thrown to the base: The shortstop covered second on the attempted steal.

Music.

to perform or record (a cover version of a song): The band has covered more than ten Bob Dylan songs in concert.
to perform or record a cover version of a song by (another singer, instrumentalist, or group): Many singers have covered Whitney Houston.

Sports. to guard (an opponent on offense) so as to prevent them from scoring or carrying out their assignment: They tried to to cover a potential pass receiver.

(especially of a male animal) to copulate with.

(of a hen) to brood or sit on (eggs or chicks).

verb (used without object)

Informal. to serve as a substitute for someone who is absent: We cover for the receptionist during lunch hour.

to hide the wrongful or embarrassing action of another by providing an alibi or acting in the other's place: They covered for him when he missed roll call.

to play a card higher than the one led or previously played in the round: She led the eight and I covered with the jack.

to spread over an area or surface, especially for the purpose of obscuring an existing covering or of achieving a desired thickness and evenness: This paint is much too thin to cover.

noun

something that goes on top of or surrounds, such as the lid of a container or the binding of a book.

a blanket, quilt, or the like: Put another cover on the bed.

protection; shelter; concealment.

anything that veils, screens, or shuts from sight: under cover of darkness.

woods, underbrush, etc., serving to shelter and conceal wild animals or game; a covert.

Ecology. vegetation that serves to protect or conceal animals, such as birds, from excessive sunlight, from drying, or from predators.

a set of eating utensils and the like, as plate, knife, fork, and napkin, placed for each person at a table.

an assumed identity, occupation, or business that masks the true or real one: His job at the embassy was a cover for his work as a spy.

a coating of snow, especially when suitable for skiing.

a pretense; feigning.

a person who substitutes for another or stands ready to substitute if needed: She was hired as a cover for six roles at the opera house.

cover charge.

Philately.

an envelope or outer wrapping for mail.
a letter folded so that the address may be placed on the outside and the missive mailed.

Finance. funds to cover liability or secure against risk of loss.

Music. cover version.

Also called covering .Mathematics. a collection of sets having the property that a given set is contained in the union of the sets in the collection.

Verb Phrases

cover up,

to lay over or wrap around; enfold.
to keep secret; conceal: She tried to cover up her part in the plot.

OTHER WORDS FOR cover

2 overlay, overspread, envelop, enwrap.

6 cloak, conceal.

11 counterbalance, make amends, compensate for.

See synonyms for cover on Thesaurus.com

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There's an ocean of difference between the way people speak English in the US vs. the UK. Are your language skills up to the task of telling the difference? Let's find out!

Question 1 of 7

True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.

true

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Idioms about cover

blow one's cover, to divulge one's secret identity, especially inadvertently: The TV news story blew his carefully fabricated cover.

break cover, to emerge, especially suddenly, from a place of concealment: The fox broke cover and the chase was on.

cover one's / someone's ass, Slang: Vulgar. to take measures that will prevent oneself or another person from suffering blame, loss, harm, etc.

(from) cover to cover, from beginning to end (of a book or other printed publication):I don’t usually read magazines cover to cover.

take cover, to seek shelter or safety: The hikers took cover in a deserted cabin to escape the sudden storm.

under cover, clandestinely; secretly: Arrangements for the escape were made under cover.

under separate cover, in a separate envelope: The report will be mailed to you under separate cover.

Origin of cover

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English coveren, coueren, coouer, from Old French covrir, couvrir, cuvrir, from Latin cooperīre “to cover completely,” equivalent to co-, an intensive prefix + operīre “to shut, close, cover”; see origin at co-, aperient

synonym study for cover

38, 39. Cover, protection, screen, shelter mean a defense against harm or danger and a provision for safety. The main idea in cover is that of concealment, as in darkness, in a wood, or behind something: The ground troops were left without cover when the air force was withdrawn. Screen refers especially to something behind which one can hide: A well-aimed artillery fire formed a screen for ground operations. Protection and shelter emphasize the idea of a guard or defense, a shield against injury or death. A protection is any such shield: In World War II, an air cover of airplanes served as a protection for troops. A shelter is something that covers over and acts as a place of refuge: An abandoned monastery acted as a shelter.

OTHER WORDS FROM cover

cov·er·a·ble, adjectivecov·er·er, nouncov·er·less, adjectivehalf-cov·ered, adjective

pre·cov·er, verb (used with object)well-cov·ered, adjective

Words nearby cover

covenantor, Covent Garden, Coventry, Coventry bell, co-venture, cover, coverage, coverall, cover bidding , cover boy, cover charge

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use cover in a sentence

Suzuki sold a few, mostly to owners who must’ve parked the things under a cover once the honeymoon was over and reality set in.
22 of the weirdest concept motorcycles ever made|By John Burns/Cycle World|September 10, 2020|Popular-Science
Aké should provide solid cover when needed, but the center back City really wants is Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly.
Will Liverpool Run Away With The Premier League Again, Or Can Manchester City Take The Title Back?|Terrence Doyle|September 10, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Megaflashes form within vast networks of thunderstorms and cloud cover called mesoscale convective systems.
Readers ask about neutrinos in the sun’s core, megaflashes and mussels|Science News Staff|September 6, 2020|Science News
It can support up to three riders and features a “kwik-connect” hook-up system for an easy connection to you towline, a heavy-duty nylon cover, and a speed safety valve for easy inflation.
The best boating tubes|PopSci Commerce Team|September 3, 2020|Popular-Science

This magic maker is practically all blade, but not to worry, it comes with a protective cover for safe handling and a sleekly designed handle so you can get a good grip.
Pizza cutters that will get you the slice of your dreams|PopSci Commerce Team|September 2, 2020|Popular-Science
They took cover inside a print works to the north east of Paris, where they held a member of staff as a hostage.
France Kills Charlie Hebdo Murderers|Nico Hines|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Clad in a blue, striped button-down, a silver watch adorning his left wrist, Huckabee beams on the cover.
Huckabee 2016: Bend Over and Take It Like a Prisoner!|Olivia Nuzzi|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Until concern trolls like Sarah Ditum came along trying to cover it up again.
Cover-Ups and Concern Trolls: Actually, It's About Ethics in Suicide Journalism|Arthur Chu|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Jourdan Dunn is the first sole black woman to feature on a British ‘Vogue’ cover in 12 years.
One Vogue Cover Doesn’t Solve Fashion’s Big Race Problem|Danielle Belton|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
When it was announced that Jourdan Dunn would be the first black model to cover British Vogue in twelve years it made me sad.
One Vogue Cover Doesn’t Solve Fashion’s Big Race Problem|Danielle Belton|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
All elements of expression modify each other, so that no mere rule can cover all cases.
Expressive Voice Culture|Jessie Eldridge Southwick
The Vine is a universal favorite, and rarely out of view; while it often seems to cover half the ground in sight.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
He thus decoyed them away, and the fortunate couple were enabled to reach the British lines under cover of the darkness.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
Given one more Division we might try: as things are, my troops won't cover the mileage.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
Here there was a scuffling sound in the basket, and the Roc rapped on the cover with her hard beak, and cried, "Hush!"
Davy and The Goblin|Charles E. Carryl

British Dictionary definitions for cover

cover

/ (ˈkʌvə) /

verb (mainly tr)

to place or spread something over so as to protect or conceal

to provide with a covering; clothe

to put a garment, esp a hat, on (the body or head)

to extend over or lie thickly on the surface of; spreadsnow covered the fields

to bring upon (oneself); invest (oneself) as if with a coveringcovered with shame

(sometimes foll by up) to act as a screen or concealment for; hide from view

military to protect (an individual, formation, or place) by taking up a position from which fire may be returned if those being protected are fired upon

(also intr, often foll by for) to assume responsibility for (a person or thing)to cover for a colleague in his absence

(intr; foll by for or up for) to provide an alibi (for)

to have as one's territorythis salesman covers your area

to travel overto cover three miles a day

(tr) to have or place in the aim and within the range of (a firearm)

to include or deal withhis talk covered all aspects of the subject

(of an asset or income) to be sufficient to meet (a liability or expense)

to insure against loss, risk, etc
to provide for (loss, risk, etc) by insurance

(also intr) finance to purchase (securities, etc) in order to meet contracts, esp short sales

to deposit (an equivalent stake) in a bet or wager

(also intr) to play a card higher in rank than (one played beforehand by another player)

to act as reporter or photographer on (a news event, etc) for a newspaper or magazineto cover sports events

sport to guard or protect (an opponent, team-mate, or area)

music to record a cover version of

(of a male animal, esp a horse) to copulate with (a female animal)

(of a bird) to brood (eggs)

noun

anything that covers, spreads over, protects, or conceals

woods or bushes providing shelter or a habitat for wild creatures

a blanket used on a bed for warmth
another word for bedspread

finance liquid assets, reserves, or guaranteed income sufficient to discharge a liability, meet an expenditure, etc

a pretext, disguise, or false identitythe thief sold brushes as a cover

insurance another word for coverage (def. 3)

an envelope or package for sending through the postunder plain cover

philately

an entire envelope that has been postmarked
on cover (of a postage stamp) kept in this form by collectors

an individual table setting, esp in a restaurant

sport the guarding or protection of an opponent, team-mate, or area

Also called: cover version a version by a different artist of a previously recorded musical item

cricket

(often plural) the area more or less at right angles to the pitch on the off side and usually about halfway to the boundaryto field in the covers
(as modifier)a cover drive by a batsman
Also called: cover point a fielder in such a position

ecology the percentage of the ground surface covered by a given species of plant

break cover (esp of game animals) to come out from a shelter or hiding place

take cover to make for a place of safety or shelter

under cover protected, concealed, or in secretunder cover of night

Derived forms of cover

coverable, adjectivecoverer, nouncoverless, adjective

Word Origin for cover

C13: from Old French covrir, from Latin cooperīre to cover completely, from operīre to cover over

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with cover

cover

In addition to the idioms beginning with cover

cover for
cover girl
cover ground
cover one's ass
cover one's tracks
cover story
cover the field
cover up

also see:

blow one's cover
break cover
judge a book by its cover
(cover a) multitude of sins
take cover
under cover

cover

OTHER WORDS FOR cover

Idioms about cover

Origin of cover

synonym study for cover

OTHER WORDS FROM cover

Words nearby cover

Words related to cover

How to use cover in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cover

Derived forms of cover

Word Origin for cover

Other Idioms and Phrases with cover