under cover
Idioms-
Protected by a shelter, as in It began to pour but fortunately we were under cover . [c. 1400]
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under cover of . Also, under the cover of . Hidden or protected by, as in They sneaked out under cover of darkness , or, as it was put in a sermon in 1751: “Presumption which loves to conceal itself under the cover of humility” (John Jortin, Sermons on Different Subjects ).
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"It was a tacky wicket as it was under cover for a while. After losing a few wickets, it was tough to get back into the game."
From Barron's ● Feb. 22, 2026
But these elephants are no dopes: One of Ms. Argo’s coups is capturing a very well-organized raid—quietly executed, under cover of darkness—by a parade of males into a tomato plantation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 13, 2026
As the sun went down and a phone notification warned of more rain, the women, donning elf aprons and Santa hats, scrambled to move the boxes under cover.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 25, 2025
Eight soldiers were charged with depriving the students of their civil rights under cover of law, but were acquitted in a bench trial.
From Salon ● Jan. 12, 2025
He described cover names, fragmentary messages, traces of the work of Soviet agents operating deep under cover in the United States.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
