hover

[huhv-er, hov-]

verb (used without object)

1. to hang fluttering or suspended in the air.

   The helicopter hovered over the building.

2. to keep lingering about; wait near at hand.

3. to remain in an uncertain or irresolute state; waver.

   to hover between life and death.

   Synonyms: fluctuate, pause, falter

4. Computers.,  to place a pointer over an area of a screen without clicking or tapping, as with a mouse or stylus.

   Hover over the icon to reveal more information.

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to hover.

2. Computers.,  to place (a pointer) over an area of a screen without clicking or tapping.

noun

1. the act or state of hovering.

hover

/ ˈhɒvə /

verb

1. (intr) to remain suspended in one place

2. (intr) (of certain birds, esp hawks) to remain in one place in the air by rapidly beating the wings

3. (intr) to linger uncertainly in a nervous or solicitous way

4. (intr) to be in a state of indecision

   she was hovering between the two suitors

5. (tr) computing to hold (the mouse pointer) over a defined area on a web page without clicking, in order to cause a menu, information box, etc to appear

noun

1. the act of hovering

Other Word Forms

• hoverer noun
• hoveringly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of hover¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English hoveren, frequentative of hoven “to hover,” of obscure origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of hover¹

C14: hoveren, variant of hoven, of obscure origin

Synonym Study

See fly ² .

Example Sentences

Suspicious drones have disrupted flights and hovered around military bases and critical infrastructure across Europe, and rogue ships dragging anchors have damaged undersea cables and pipelines in the Baltic Sea.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Temperatures hovered in the low 40s — brisk, but manageable — and a steady wind kept the giant balloons flying lower than usual.

Read more on Salon

—Sterling hovered close to a four-week high against the dollar and euro as investors continue to express relief that Wednesday’s U.K. budget delivered no major surprises.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

California already pays more for gasoline than any other state, with prices currently hovering around $4.63 a gallon compared with the U.S. average of $3.10, according to AAA.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Consumer sentiment, a gauge into how Americans feel about the economy, is hovering near record lows as households fret about day-to-day affordability.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• drift 
• flicker 
• flutter 
• fly 
• linger 
• poise 
• waver