hover
verb /ˈhɒvə(r)/
/ˈhʌvər/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they hover | /ˈhɒvə(r)/ /ˈhʌvər/ |
| he / she / it hovers | /ˈhɒvəz/ /ˈhʌvərz/ |
| past simple hovered | /ˈhɒvəd/ /ˈhʌvərd/ |
| past participle hovered | /ˈhɒvəd/ /ˈhʌvərd/ |
| -ing form hovering | /ˈhɒvəɪŋ/ /ˈhʌvərɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) (of birds, helicopters, etc.) to stay in the air in one place
- A hawk hovered over the hill.
- A full moon hovered in the sky.
Extra ExamplesTopics Birdsc1- A police helicopter hovered overhead.
- The hawk hovered in the air and then plunged to the ground.
- [intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) (of a person) to wait somewhere, especially near somebody, in a shy or uncertain manner
- He hovered nervously in the doorway.
- He hovered over her, waiting for an answer.
Extra Examples- He was hovering anxiously outside.
- Phoebe was hovering in the background, uncertain what to do.
- She couldn't bear him hovering around her.
- She hovered uncertainly near the front door.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- nearby
- anxiously
- uncertainly
- …
- about
- around
- behind
- …
- hover in the background
- hover in the doorway
- [intransitive] + adv./prep. to stay close to something, or to stay in an uncertain state
- Temperatures hovered around freezing.
- He hovered on the edge of consciousness.
- A smile hovered on her lips.
- She was hovering between life and death.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- nearby
- anxiously
- uncertainly
- …
- about
- around
- behind
- …
- hover in the background
- hover in the doorway
Word Originlate Middle English: from archaic hove ‘hover, linger’, of unknown origin.