hover

[ huhv-er, hov- ]

/ ˈhʌv ər, ˈhɒv- /

verb (used without object)

to hang fluttering or suspended in the air: The helicopter hovered over the building.

to keep lingering about; wait near at hand.

to remain in an uncertain or irresolute state; waver: to hover between life and death.

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)

to cause to hover.

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

noun

the act or state of hovering.

Words nearby hover

hovawart, hove, hovea, hovel, hoven, hover, hover fly, hovercraft, hovering accent, hovering act, hovering vessel

Origin of hover

1350–1400; Middle English hoveren, frequentative of hoven to hover, of obscure origin

SYNONYMS FOR hover

1 See fly¹.

3 falter, pause, fluctuate.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR hover ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM hover

hov·er·er, nounhov·er·ing·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for hover

Special suits allow you and your team to hover over gaps and jump to superhuman heights.
Kevin Spacey Stars as a Frank Underwood-like Warmonger in ‘Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare’|Alec Kubas-Meyer|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
INTERACTIVE: Hover over markers for more from each range on their age and firearm restrictions for children.
Where Kids as Young as 5 Learn to Shoot Automatic Weapons|Brandy Zadrozny|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Not to mention the untold number of families who hover just one medical crisis or job loss away from financial ruin.
Is There a Ma Joad for the Piketty Era?|Katie Baker|July 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His approval ratings, improbably, hover around the 40 percent mark.
How Rob Ford Could Win Reelection|Ivor Tossell|January 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST

But whispers about his past hover like a threatening storm over his papacy.
Argentina’s Dirty War Casts a Pall Over Bergoglio|Christopher Dickey|March 15, 2013|DAILY BEAST
It makes us understand the general air of chilliness that seems to hover around New England Yanks.
Mixed Faces|Roy Norton
Rupert continued to hover about Essex's army, and ordered Wilmot to take Marlborough.
Rupert Prince Palatine|Eva Scott
Either it was a very hungry or a very ignorant panther to hover so boldly around a camp full of men and guns.
The Young Trailers|Joseph A. Altsheler
Hover and tremble, flitting till thou findest, Butterfly, thy treasure!
My Beautiful Lady. Nelly Dale|Thomas Woolner
Hover the cursor over the underscored text to see the nature of the correction.
Shelley and the Marriage Question|John Todhunter

British Dictionary definitions for hover

hover

/ (ˈhɒvə) /

verb

(intr) to remain suspended in one place

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

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

(intr) to be in a state of indecisionshe was hovering between the two suitors

(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

the act of hovering

Derived forms of hover

hoverer, nounhoveringly, adverb

Word Origin for hover

C14: hoveren, variant of hoven, of obscure origin

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

hover

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

Words related to hover

Words nearby hover

Origin of hover

SYNONYMS FOR hover

OTHER WORDS FROM hover

Example sentences from the Web for hover

British Dictionary definitions for hover

verb

noun

Derived forms of hover

Word Origin for hover