a. That which covers: anything that is put or laid over, or that naturally overlies or overspreads an object, with the effect of hiding, sheltering, or enclosing it; often a thing designed or appropriated for the purpose.

b. Often as the second element in combinations.

c. Calico-printing. A design that is printed over another design in resist-work. Also cover pattern.

d. Cricket. = cover-point n. 1. So the covers: cover-point and extra cover-point.

e. Tennis. (Cf. cover v.¹ 13b.)

f. In full cover version. A recording of a song, etc., which has already been recorded by someone else.

a. The lid of any vessel, receptacle, or aperture, whether detached or not.

†b. A defensive or protective covering for the body; a piece of armour; an article of clothing. cover of the eyes: the visor (of a helmet). Obsolete.

c. Of a book: (a) The binding, wrapper, or case, as a whole; (b) each of the boards or sides, as in from cover to cover; (c) the quantity of cloth required for a case.

d. The wrapper of a letter or of any postal packet. spec. in Philately, an envelope, etc., bearing a stamp, postmark, or label of particular historical or commemorative interest; esp. first day cover (see quot. 1950).Hence, to address to (a person) under cover to (another). In a general sense including an envelope (which is a special kind of cover); but spec. used of a wrapper cut and folded differently from an envelope, as in the ‘Mulready covers’.

e. In various technical uses.

f. The outer covering of a pneumatic tyre.

a. That which serves for shelter or concealment; a shelter, a hiding place.

†b. figurative. Support, countenance. Obsolete.

c. † in cover: in concealment (obsolete). under cover: under a screening or sheltering eminence, roof, etc. under (the) cover of: under the protection or shelter of.

d. figurative. Something that hides, conceals, or screens; a cloak, screen, disguise, pretence. under (the) cover of.

e. Concealment, disguise; underhand or deceitful conduct. rare.

f. Thieves' slang. A confederate who screens the operations of a thief or pickpocket.

g. Protection from attack; esp. that afforded by the presence or fire of a supporting force; also, a force providing such protection. Frequently with defining word, as air cover n. at air n.¹ Compounds 2, fighter cover n. at fighter n. Compounds 1. Cf. cover v.¹ 8d.

a. Hunting. Woods, undergrowth, and bushes, that serve to shelter or conceal wild animals and game; = covert n. 3. Also in combination, as fox-cover.

b. The vegetation covering the surface of the ground; spec. in Ecology, the area covered by the individuals of one species, often expressed as a percentage of the area being studied.

a. Commerce. Funds adequate to cover or meet a liability or secure against contingent loss.

b. Adequate insurance against loss, damage, etc.; = coverage n. a.

a. To put a cover or lid upon (a vessel, etc.), or over (its contents); also to overlay (a pie or the like) with paste.

†b. To put a roof upon or over; to roof. Obsolete (but see to cover in at Phrasal verbs).

c. To put a surface layer of something on for ornament or use; to overlay, overspread with.

d. To spread a cloth or the like over the upper surface of (a table); esp. in preparation for a meal, to lay the cloth. Often absol.

e. To overspread with something which marks or occupies the whole surface; to strew with.

†f. to cover his feet (a Hebraism): to ease himself. Obsolete.

g. Calico-printing. To print over with a pattern, etc. (Cf. cover n.¹ 1c.)

h. To affix the covering of cloth, leather, or other material on the boards of (a book) in binding.

i. To put a temporary cover of paper or other material on (a book) in order to protect it.

j. To make a cover version (cover n.¹ 1f) of (a song, etc.).

a. To clothe (the body); to wrap, wrap up, invest, envelop.

b. figurative and transferred.

a. Said of the instrument: To lie or be over (an object) so as to hide, protect, or enclose it; to serve as a covering to.

b. Said of garments and the like.

c. To extend or abound thickly over the face of; to occupy the entire surface of; to strew, occupy.

†d. To enclose as an envelope. Obsolete.

e. figurative.

a. Of a stallion: To copulate with (the mare); rarely of other animals. Also absol. and causally.

†b. Of a bird: To sit upon (eggs). Obsolete.

a. To place a coin, etc. of equal value upon another, as in wagering.

b. To play a card of higher value upon (one already played).

a. To shield, protect, shelter. Also figurative.

b. Said also of the material instrument: To serve as a defence, protection, or shelter to; spec. a fortress, or its guns, are said to cover the territory within their range. Also figurative; cf. command v. 14a.

c. Said of a ship's flag, and papers; of a law, constitution, etc.

d. to cover a siege, etc.: to protect the besieging army from attack.

a. Said of the agent. to cover the buckle: see buckle n. 1b.

b. To conceal or screen (actions, facts, qualities, and other immaterial objects).

c. Said also of the instrument.

a. Of a pickpocket's confederate: To screen the operations of (a principal).

b. To shield from legal penalties.

a. Cricket. To take up such a position behind (another man) as to be able to stop the balls missed by him.

b. Tennis. To defend by or have within the scope of one's play.

c. In various sports, to mark (an opponent) or guard (an area of the field) as a tactic of defence.

a. To be extensive enough to include or comprehend; to include within its application or scope; to provide for.

b. To include, comprise, extend over.

c. To report (an event, meeting, etc.) for a newspaper, broadcast, or the like; to attend, investigate, etc., as a reporter. Originally U.S.

d. To photograph the whole of an area from the air.

e. to cover the water: (see quot.).

a. a space; also figurative.

b. a period of time.

c. In other figurative uses, in which it is sometimes combined with other senses. Cf. overtake v.

a. To be sufficient to defray (a charge, or expense), or to meet (a liability or risk of loss); to counterbalance or compensate (a loss or risk) so as to do away with its incidence; to be or make an adequate provision against (a liability); to protect by insurance or the like.

b. absol. To provide cover; to meet the liability incurred in a speculative sale; to insure oneself.

c. to cover short sales, or ‘shorts’ (Stock Exch.): to buy in such stocks as have been sold short (i.e. without being actually held by the seller), in order to meet his engagements on the day of delivery, or to protect himself against loss.

d. to cover into the Treasury (U.S.): to cover or write off the balance in a balance-sheet by a transfer of the amount into the Treasury; hence, to pay into the Treasury.