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cover Definition

cover (kuv′ər)

transitive verb

  1. to place something on, over, or in front of, so as to conceal, protect, or close
  2. to extend over; overlay; blanket snow covered the highway
  3. to copulate with (the female): said chiefly of a stallion
  4. to clothe
  5. to coat, sprinkle, etc. thickly covered with mud
  6. to sit on (eggs); brood; incubate
  7. to conceal by hiding or screening
  8. to keep from harm or injury by shielding; protect by screening
  9. to include and provide for; take into account the law covers such cases
    1. to protect against financial loss or liability, as by insurance or reserve funds
    2. to make up for (a loss, injury, etc.) by insurance, reserve funds, etc.
    3. to be sufficient for payment of (expenses, a debt, etc.)
  11. to accept (a bet); stake the equivalent of (an opponent's stake) in a wager
  12. to travel over; go the length of to cover a distance
  13. to work in or be responsible for (a particular area or range of activity) to cover a territory as a salesman
  14. to deal with; treat of to cover a subject
  15. to bring upon (oneself) by one's actions to cover oneself with glory
  16. to point a firearm or similar weapon at; put or keep within the range and in the aim of a gun or the like
  17. ☆ Slang to record or perform a cover () of
  18. Card Games to put a higher card on (a previously played card)
  19. ☆ Finance to buy stock to replace (shares borrowed from a broker to effect a short sale)
  20. ☆ Journalism to have the assignment of gathering and reporting the details of (a news story)
  21. Mil. to keep (a person or group) within sight or contact so as to protect from enemy action
  22. Sports
    1. to watch, guard, defend, or defend against
    2. Baseball to be ready to receive a throw to (a particular base)
    3. Football to attempt to prevent (a pass receiver) from catching the ball or prevent (a punted ball) from being returned

Etymology: ME coveren < OFr covrir < L cooperire < co-, intens. + operire, to hide < IE *op-wer-, to cover < *op(i)-, back, against + *wer, to cover, protect > warn

intransitive verb

  1. to spread over a surface, as a liquid does
  2. to put on a cap, hat, etc.
  3. ☆ to provide an alibi, excuse, or subterfuge (for another)

noun

  1. anything that covers, as a bookbinding, the front binding of a magazine, a jar lid, a box top, etc.
  2. a shelter for protection, as from gunfire
  3. a hiding place for game, as a thicket, underbrush, etc.

  4. Etymology: modeled on Fr couvert

    a tablecloth and setting for a meal, esp. for one person
  5. ☆ cover charge
  6. something used for hiding one's real actions, intentions, etc.
    1. an envelope or wrapper for mail
    2. an envelope or postal card with a stamp, postmark, and cachet of historical or philatelic significance
  8. Slang a version of a song, esp. one that has become popular in a particular recording, as performed or recorded in imitation of the original or with a fresh interpretation

cover Related Forms
cov′·erer noun
cover Idioms

break cover

to come out of protective shelter

cover up

  1. to cover entirely; envelop; wrap
  2. to keep blunders, crimes, etc. from being known

take cover

to seek protective shelter

under cover

in secrecy or concealment

cover Synonyms

cover

n.

  1. A covering object

    covering, top, lid, cap, ceiling, canopy, awning, tent, marquee, umbrella, parasol, roof, thatch, dome, blanket, bedspread, coverlet, stopper, plug, cork, canvas, seal, tarpaulin, book cover, binding, folder, wrapper, wrapping paper, jacket, case, sheath, spread, sheet, slipcover, tarp*; see also bedspread, blanket 2, envelope, folder 2, hood 1, 2, roof, sheath.

  2. A covering substance

    coat, covering, overlay, binding, slate, paint, shingle, veneer, varnish, polish; see also coat 3, sheet 2.

  3. Shelter

    sanctuary, protection, asylum, refuge; see retreat 2, sanctuary 2, shelter.

  4. Concealment

    covert, hiding place, screen, blind; see camouflage 1, defense 2, shelter, trick 1.

take cover

conceal oneself, take shelter, go indoors; see hide 2.

under cover

in secrecy, clandestinely, hiding, concealed; see hidden 2, secretive, secretly.

cover Synonyms

cover

v.

  1. To place as a covering

    cover up, carpet, blanket, put on, put a cover on, put a lid on, cap, close, overlay, lay over, overspread, surface, board up, superimpose, coat; see also close 2, 4, spread 4.

  2. To wrap

    envelop, enshroud, encase, cloak; see clothe, wrap 2.

  3. To protect

    shield, screen, house; see defend 1, 2, shelter.

  4. To hide

    screen, camouflage, mask, conceal; see disguise, hide 1.

  5. To include

    embrace, comprise, incorporate; see comprise, include 1, treat 2.

  6. To suffice

    reach, be enough, meet; see satisfy 3.

  7. To travel over

    traverse, journey over, cross; see travel 2.

  8. To send down in plenty

    deluge, pour, rain, inundate, submerge, shower, drench, engulf, overcome, drown out, overflow, overspread, send down like manna from heaven*; see also flood.

  9. *To report news about

    report on, recount, narrate, relate; see broadcast 2, report 1.

cover Finance Definition
  1. In the futures market, to offset a short futures or options position by buying back contracts.
  2. In corporate finance, to be able to meet fixed annual interest charges on bonds or other obligations out of funds generated from earnings.
  3. In insurance, the requirement that the expenses of an insured person be reimbursed.
cover Law Definition

v

  1. In commercial law, to buy, or the purchase of, goods on the open market that are similar to those that a seller of such goods had promised, but failed, to deliver. Under the Uniform Commercial Code, the buyer is entitled from the seller the difference between the cost of the substituted goods and the original contract price if the buyer acted in good faith and without unreasonable delay when obtaining the substituted goods.
  2. In insurance law, to currently protect a particular person against loss or to currently protect someone or something against a particular risk.
cover Usage Examples

Object

  • topic: Each track is broken into seminars which cover topics in-depth.
  • aspect: Each has their own specialism to cover all aspects of project delivery.
  • range: Some great original tunes covering a diverse range of styles.
  • letter: The number should also appear on the covering letter that we sent to you.
  • cost: A check for £ 1 would be appreciated to cover the cost of postage.
  • area: Several of these maps were produced, each covering a particular area.

Subject

  • exemption: You will therefore not be covered by the exemption if you arrive early and take up private accommodation.

Noun phrase with adjective complement

  • such: Covers subjects such as safety, bad weather and poor visibility in greater depth than Day Skipper.

Adjective modifier

  • front: Comical covers WHY DOES your front cover, every month, look like the front cover of a child's comic?
  • adequate: You should check that this will provide adequate cover for your personal belongings.
  • protective: Wind is particularly damaging when the ground is frozen and there is no protective snow cover.
  • inside: Some have the Errata notice but have no printing on the inside front cover.

Modifies a noun

  • letter: We draft a unique CV and cover letter ( or whatever is actually needed ), never farming out work to juniors.

Noun used with modifier

  • futon: Sum to prepare is spending two graduation he camouflage futon cover picked.
  • insurance: Top of page 2. Who will provide the insurance cover?
  • snow: Wind is particularly damaging when the ground is frozen and there is no protective snow cover.
  • vegetation: Tall tussock grassland provides the tallest vegetation cover on the island, there being no trees or tall shrubs.

Present participle complement

  • photocopy: A copy of the report may be obtained from the Library, but a charge will be made to cover photocopying and postage.

Preposition: of

  • darkness: Guided by brave informers, UK troops swoop on Saddam's most dedicated fanatics and spirit them away under cover of darkness.

Preposition: with

  • lid: This is covered with a small concrete lid to allow access for cleaning.
cover Quotes

   The body of Benjamin Franklin, printer, (Like the cover of an old book, Its contents worn out, And stripped of its lettering and gilding) Lies here, food for worms! Yet the work itself shall not be lost, For it will, as he believed, appear once more In a new And more beautiful edition, Corrected and amended By its Author!

—Franklin, Benjamin

Cover your assöthe bureaucrat's method of protecting his posterior from posterity.

—Safire,William

Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo. Shovel them under and let me workö I am the grass; I cover all.

—Sandburg, Carl

   I will endeavour to put the word sex in capital letters on the cover of every issue of the Literary Review under my editorship, regardless of its actual contents† My purpose is simply to embolden booksellers.

—Waugh, Auberon Alexander

   Sempre que os homens sabidos lhe diziam palavras dif|¤ceis, ele sa|¤a logrado. Sobressaltava-se escutando-as. Evidentemente so¤   serviam para encobrir ladroeiras. Mas eram bonitas. Whenever men with book learning used big words in dealing with him, he came out the loser. It startled him just to hear those words.Obviously they were just a cover for robbery. But they sounded nice.

—Ramos, Graciliano

I have learnt from bitter experience that when the armchair theorists and the Whitehall generals start talking of a surgical war, it is time to run for cover.

—Ashdown, Baron