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

Outside the neighborhood, news helicopters hovered above the facility as Bisland and several of her friends went on an afternoon walk.

From Los Angeles Times

While Maron sometimes kvetches about Feinartz’s hovering cameras, he seems to have given him a kind of all-access pass to his daily life in a way that belies his trademark crankiness.

From Los Angeles Times

That was duly delivered on by the Budget and has hovered near those lows ever since.

From BBC

A police helicopter was hovering over the scene.

From Los Angeles Times

If the U.S. regresses in friendlies with Ecuador and Australia next month, the angst and despair that have hovered over the team most of the year will return.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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