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

The final messages sent to Captain Noah from the MV Matthew were pictures of a helicopter hovering over the ship.

From BBC

In San Francisco, the test positivity rate has been hovering around 9% for the last week of reliable data available.

From Los Angeles Times

Year after year, multiple studies remind us that the public’s trust in media hovers at record lows – around 31%, according to Gallup.

From Salon

That figure hovered just north of 2% in the most recently available data, representing a much smaller drop than the state and industry claim.

From Salon

In recent years support for independence has hovered at about 50% in the polls, while support for the SNP has declined from peaks under Nicola Sturgeon's leadership.

From BBC

Related Words

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