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

• hoveringly adverb
• hoverer noun

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

Economists expect the jobless rate to hover around 4.5% over the next year.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

On Nantucket, where the median home price hovers around $2.3 million, even teachers, nurses and Coast Guard members struggle to afford groceries.

Read more on Salon

The index has been hovering at levels typically experienced during recessions.

Read more on MarketWatch

Though Real Madrid would shape him into the best young player in Europe, Doncic believes the foundations of his game were set earlier, in Slovenia, on the playground, outside, on crooked rims, without adults hovering.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Gold continues its rally, with prices hovering above the $4,000-a-troy-ounce mark for the first time.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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