cover for
Idioms-
Also, cover up for . Conceal a wrongdoing or wrongdoer, as in Bill was supposed to be on duty but went to a ballgame and Alan agreed to cover for him or I covered up for my friend when her mother called to find out where she was . [1960s] Also see cover up , def. 2.
-
Substitute for someone, act on someone's behalf, as in Mary was asked to cover for Joe while he was on jury duty . [c. 1970]
-
cover for something . Provide protection against some hazard, as in This policy covers the house for fire but not for theft . This idiom employs the verb to cover in the sense of “protect” or “shield,” a usage dating from the 13th century.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But he kept his composure to reach a 15th half-century four balls after Root, cracking Webster through the covers for a boundary.
From Barron's
As the trees break off or fall, the downed logs become food and cover for earthbound species and eventually decay into nutrients in the soil.
From Los Angeles Times
Crucially, this kind of tactic can offer political cover for criticism.
From BBC
Matthew Fisher was called up as cover for Wood.
From BBC
"These are complex decisions that cannot be forced," said Italian premier Giorgia Meloni, who could offer key political cover for Belgium.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
