to be or serve as a covering for; extend over; rest on the surface of: Snow covered the fields.
to place something over or upon, as for protection, concealment, or warmth.
to provide with a covering or top: Cover the pot with a lid.
to protect or conceal (the body, head, etc.) with clothes, a hat, etc; wrap.
to bring upon (oneself): He covered himself with glory by his exploits.
to hide from view; screen.
to spread on or over; apply to: to cover bread with honey.
to put all over the surface of: to cover a wall with paint.
to include, deal with, or provide for; address: The rules cover working conditions.
to suffice to defray or meet (a charge, expense, etc.): Ten dollars should cover the cost of a taxi.
to offset (an outlay, loss, liability, etc.).
to achieve in distance traversed; pass or travel over: We covered 600 miles a day on our trip.
Journalism.
to act as a reporter or reviewer of (an event, a field of interest, a performance, etc.); have as an assignment: She covers sports for the paper.
to publish or broadcast a report or reports of (a news item, a series of related events, etc.): The press covered the trial in great detail.
to pass or rise over and surmount or envelop: The river covered the town during the flood.
Insurance. to insure against risk or loss.
to serve as a defense for; shelter; protect.
Military.
to be in line with by occupying a position directly before or behind.
to protect (a soldier, force, or military position) during an expected period of ground combat by taking a position from which any hostile troops can be fired upon.
to take temporary charge of or responsibility for in place of another: Please cover my phone while I'm out to lunch.
to extend over; encompass: The book covers 18th-century England.
to be assigned to or responsible for, as a territory or field of endeavor: We have two sales representatives covering the Southwest.
to aim at, as with a pistol.
to have within range, as a fortress does adjacent territory.
to play a card higher than (the one led or previously played in the round).
to deposit the equivalent of (money deposited), as in wagering.
to accept the conditions of (a bet, wager, etc.).
Finance. (in short selling) to purchase securities or commodities in order to deliver them to the broker from whom they were borrowed.
Baseball. to take a position close to or at (a base) so as to catch a ball thrown to the base: The shortstop covered second on the attempted steal.
Music.
to perform or record (a cover version of a song): The band has covered more than ten Bob Dylan songs in concert.
to perform or record a cover version of a song by (another singer, instrumentalist, or group): Many singers have covered Whitney Houston.
Sports. to guard (an opponent on offense) so as to prevent him or her from scoring or carrying out his or her assignment: to cover a potential pass receiver.
(especially of a male animal) to copulate with.
(of a hen) to brood or sit on (eggs or chicks).
verb (used without object)
Informal. to serve as a substitute for someone who is absent: We cover for the receptionist during lunch hour.
to hide the wrongful or embarrassing action of another by providing an alibi or acting in the other's place: They covered for him when he missed roll call.
to play a card higher than the one led or previously played in the round: She led the eight and I covered with the jack.
to spread over an area or surface, especially for the purpose of obscuring an existing covering or of achieving a desired thickness and evenness: This paint is much too thin to cover.
noun
something that covers, as the lid of a container or the binding of a book.
a blanket, quilt, or the like: Put another cover on the bed.
protection; shelter; concealment.
anything that veils, screens, or shuts from sight: under cover of darkness.
woods, underbrush, etc., serving to shelter and conceal wild animals or game; a covert.
Ecology. vegetation that serves to protect or conceal animals, such as birds, from excessive sunlight, from drying, or from predators.
a set of eating utensils and the like, as plate, knife, fork, and napkin, placed for each person at a table.
an assumed identity, occupation, or business that masks the true or real one: His job at the embassy was a cover for his work as a spy.
a covering of snow, especially when suitable for skiing.
a pretense; feigning.
a person who substitutes for another or stands ready to substitute if needed: She was hired as a cover for six roles at the opera house.
cover charge.
Philately.
an envelope or outer wrapping for mail.
a letter folded so that the address may be placed on the outside and the missive mailed.
Finance. funds to cover liability or secure against risk of loss.
Music. cover version.
Also called covering .Mathematics. a collection of sets having the property that a given set is contained in the union of the sets in the collection.
Verb Phrases
cover up,
to cover completely; enfold.
to keep secret; conceal: She tried to cover up her part in the plot.
Idioms for cover
blow one's cover, to divulge one's secret identity, especially inadvertently: The TV news story blew his carefully fabricated cover.
break cover, to emerge, especially suddenly, from a place of concealment: The fox broke cover and the chase was on.
cover one's / someone's ass, Slang: Vulgar. to take measures that will prevent oneself or another person from suffering blame, loss, harm, etc.
(from) cover to cover, from beginning to end (of a book or other printed publication):I don’t usually read magazines cover to cover.
take cover, to seek shelter or safety: The hikers took cover in a deserted cabin to escape the sudden storm.
under cover, clandestinely; secretly: Arrangements for the escape were made under cover.
under separate cover, in a separate envelope: The report will be mailed to you under separate cover.
Origin of cover
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English coveren, coueren, coouer, from Old French covrir, couvrir, cuvrir, from Latin cooperīre “to cover completely,” equivalent to co-, an intensive prefix + operīre “to shut, close, cover”; see origin at co-, aperient
SYNONYMS FOR cover
2 overlay, overspread, envelop, enwrap.
6 cloak, conceal.
11 counterbalance, make amends, compensate for.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR cover ON THESAURUS.COM
synonym study for cover
38, 39. Cover,protection,screen,shelter mean a defense against harm or danger and a provision for safety. The main idea in cover is that of concealment, as in darkness, in a wood, or behind something: The ground troops were left without cover when the air force was withdrawn.Screen refers especially to something behind which one can hide: A well-aimed artillery fire formed a screen for ground operations.Protection and shelter emphasize the idea of a guard or defense, a shield against injury or death. A protection is any such shield: In World War II, an air cover of airplanes served as a protection for troops. A shelter is something that covers over and acts as a place of refuge: An abandoned monastery acted as a shelter.
Suzuki sold a few, mostly to owners who must’ve parked the things under a cover once the honeymoon was over and reality set in.
22 of the weirdest concept motorcycles ever made|By John Burns/Cycle World|September 10, 2020|Popular Science
Aké should provide solid cover when needed, but the center back City really wants is Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly.
Will Liverpool Run Away With The Premier League Again, Or Can Manchester City Take The Title Back?|Terrence Doyle|September 10, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Megaflashes form within vast networks of thunderstorms and cloud cover called mesoscale convective systems.
Readers ask about neutrinos in the sun’s core, megaflashes and mussels|Science News Staff|September 6, 2020|Science News
It can support up to three riders and features a “kwik-connect” hook-up system for an easy connection to you towline, a heavy-duty nylon cover, and a speed safety valve for easy inflation.
The best boating tubes|PopSci Commerce Team|September 3, 2020|Popular Science
This magic maker is practically all blade, but not to worry, it comes with a protective cover for safe handling and a sleekly designed handle so you can get a good grip.
Pizza cutters that will get you the slice of your dreams|PopSci Commerce Team|September 2, 2020|Popular Science
Clad in a blue, striped button-down, a silver watch adorning his left wrist, Huckabee beams on the cover.
Huckabee 2016: Bend Over and Take It Like a Prisoner!|Olivia Nuzzi|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Until concern trolls like Sarah Ditum came along trying to cover it up again.
Cover-Ups and Concern Trolls: Actually, It's About Ethics in Suicide Journalism|Arthur Chu|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Even in the parts of the movement he does cover, some people and efforts are missing.
The Real Story Behind the Fight for Marriage Equality|E.J. Graff|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dates to soften, about 15 minutes.
At an expense for material, I should think, of $7,400 in all to cover the enterprise.
The Crime of the Century|Henry M. Hunt
On the model's face was her faint, impersonal professional smile that seemed to cover something like weariness or contempt.
The Trimmed Lamp|O. Henry
Cover with one cup of sugar and then let stand for one-half hour.
Mrs. Wilson's Cook Book|Mary A. Wilson
My only fear is that the coral may grow over and cover it up before I am free to get out there.
Stories of the Ships|Lewis R. Freeman
Cover it, and leave for forty-eight hours; then decant into bottles, being careful to leave all sediment behind.
What Shall We Do Now?: Five Hundred Games and Pastimes|Dorothy Canfield Fisher
British Dictionary definitions for cover
cover
/ (ˈkʌvə) /
verb(mainly tr)
to place or spread something over so as to protect or conceal
to provide with a covering; clothe
to put a garment, esp a hat, on (the body or head)
to extend over or lie thickly on the surface of; spreadsnow covered the fields
to bring upon (oneself); invest (oneself) as if with a coveringcovered with shame
(sometimes foll by up)to act as a screen or concealment for; hide from view
militaryto protect (an individual, formation, or place) by taking up a position from which fire may be returned if those being protected are fired upon
(also intr, often foll by for) to assume responsibility for (a person or thing)to cover for a colleague in his absence
(intr; foll by for or up for)to provide an alibi (for)
to have as one's territorythis salesman covers your area
to travel overto cover three miles a day
(tr)to have or place in the aim and within the range of (a firearm)
to include or deal withhis talk covered all aspects of the subject
(of an asset or income) to be sufficient to meet (a liability or expense)
to insure against loss, risk, etc
to provide for (loss, risk, etc) by insurance
(also intr)financeto purchase (securities, etc) in order to meet contracts, esp short sales
to deposit (an equivalent stake) in a bet or wager
(also intr)to play a card higher in rank than (one played beforehand by another player)
to act as reporter or photographer on (a news event, etc) for a newspaper or magazineto cover sports events
sportto guard or protect (an opponent, team-mate, or area)
musicto record a cover version of
(of a male animal, esp a horse) to copulate with (a female animal)
(of a bird) to brood (eggs)
noun
anything that covers, spreads over, protects, or conceals
woods or bushes providing shelter or a habitat for wild creatures
a blanket used on a bed for warmth
another word for bedspread
financeliquid assets, reserves, or guaranteed income sufficient to discharge a liability, meet an expenditure, etc
a pretext, disguise, or false identitythe thief sold brushes as a cover
insurance another word for coverage (def. 3)
an envelope or package for sending through the postunder plain cover
philately
an entire envelope that has been postmarked
on cover(of a postage stamp) kept in this form by collectors
an individual table setting, esp in a restaurant
sportthe guarding or protection of an opponent, team-mate, or area
Also called: cover versiona version by a different artist of a previously recorded musical item
cricket
(often plural)the area more or less at right angles to the pitch on the off side and usually about halfway to the boundaryto field in the covers
(as modifier)a cover drive by a batsman
Also called: cover pointa fielder in such a position
ecologythe percentage of the ground surface covered by a given species of plant
break cover(esp of game animals) to come out from a shelter or hiding place
take coverto make for a place of safety or shelter
under coverprotected, concealed, or in secretunder cover of night