take cover
Seek protection, find a hiding place, as in It started to pour so we took cover under the trees, or He wanted to avoid the reporters so we said he could take cover in our summer cottage. This term uses cover in the sense of “shelter” or “concealment,” a usage dating from the 1400s.
Words Nearby take cover
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
How to use take cover in a sentence
Snake-Eyes beckons the Joes and they take cover in a corner.
The Marine and His Cousin the Firefighter | Maurice Emerson Decaul | September 11, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTAll of us had to take cover under tents and pray for it to stop (see above).
Exclusive: A Photo Essay on the Making of ‘The Spectacular Now’ | Michael H. Weber, Scott Neustadter | August 8, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTAfter the initial hit, Murphy ducked behind the squad car to take cover from the additional rounds and to orient himself.
15 Rounds and Still Talking: Lt. Brian Murphy’s Story of the Oak Creek Massacre | Simran Jeet Singh | August 5, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTIt turns out that the song was actually a warning: take cover, Broadway, because this is going to get ugly.
‘Smash’ Ends Its Run: What Happened to This Once Promising Show? | Jason Lynch | May 24, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTThin-skinned celebrities, take cover: Ricky Gervais returns to host Sunday's Golden Globe Awards.
Ricky Gervais' 9 Funniest Awards-Show Moments | The Daily Beast Video | January 15, 2010 | THE DAILY BEAST
He pointed out a trail toward the wilderness to the thin little column, told them where to take cover and await his return.
Valley of the Croen | Lee TarbellHe knew he'd bag this one without trouble, but any others around him would take cover at his first shot.
Restricted Tool | Malcolm B. MorehartSeveral times they had to take cover in ditches and weeds as whispering spheres floated overhead in search of prey.
The Whispering Spheres | Russell Robert WinterbothamOne time there were machine guns behind me and they sent a message to me, asking me to lie down and take cover.
Carry On | Coningsby DawsonOur soldiers certainly have learnt, at last, how to take cover.
An Autobiography | Elizabeth Butler
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