to be or serve as a covering for; extend over; rest on the surface of: Snow covered the fields.
2.
to place something over or upon, as for protection, concealment, or warmth.
3.
to provide with a covering or top: Cover the pot with a lid.
4.
to protect or conceal (the body, head, etc.) with clothes, a hat, etc; wrap.
5.
to bring upon (oneself): He covered himself with glory by his exploits.
6.
to hide from view; screen.
7.
to spread on or over; apply to: to cover bread with honey.
8.
to put all over the surface of: to cover a wall with paint.
9.
to include, deal with, or provide for; address: The rules cover working conditions.
10.
to suffice to defray or meet (a charge, expense, etc.): Ten dollars should cover my expenses.
11.
to offset (an outlay, loss, liability, etc.).
12.
to achieve in distance traversed; pass or travel over: We covered 600 miles a day on our trip.
13.
Journalism.
a.
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.
b.
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.
14.
to pass or rise over and surmount or envelop: The river covered the town during the flood.
15.
Insurance. to insure against risk or loss.
16.
to shelter; protect; serve as a defense for.
17.
Military.
a.
to be in line with by occupying a position directly before or behind.
b.
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.
18.
to take temporary charge of or responsibility for in place of another: Please cover my phone while I'm out to lunch.
19.
to extend over; comprise: The book covers 18th-century England.
20.
to be assigned to or responsible for, as a territory or field of endeavor: We have two sales representatives covering the Southwest.
21.
to aim at, as with a pistol.
22.
to have within range, as a fortress does adjacent territory.
23.
to play a card higher than (the one led or previously played in the round).
24.
to deposit the equivalent of (money deposited), as in wagering.
25.
to accept the conditions of (a bet, wager, etc.).
26.
(in short selling) to purchase securities or commodities in order to deliver them to the broker from whom they were borrowed.
27.
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.
28.
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.
29.
(esp. of a male animal) to copulate with.
30.
(of a hen) to brood or sit on (eggs or chicks).
–verb (used without object)
31.
Informal. to serve as a substitute for someone who is absent: We cover for the receptionist during lunch hour.
32.
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.
33.
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.
34.
to spread over an area or surface, esp. 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
35.
something that covers, as the lid of a container or the binding of a book.
36.
a blanket, quilt, or the like: Put another cover on the bed.
37.
protection; shelter; concealment.
38.
anything that veils, screens, or shuts from sight: under cover of darkness.
39.
woods, underbrush, etc., serving to shelter and conceal wild animals or game; a covert.
40.
Ecology. vegetation that serves to protect or conceal animals, such as birds, from excessive sunlight, from drying, or from predators.
41.
a set of eating utensils and the like, as plate, knife, fork, and napkin, placed for each person at a table.
42.
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.
43.
a covering of snow, esp. when suitable for skiing.
44.
a pretense; feigning.
45.
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.
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 phrase
51.
cover up,
a.
to cover completely; enfold.
b.
to keep secret; conceal: She tried to cover up her part in the plot.
—Idioms
52.
blow one's cover, to divulge one's secret identity, esp. inadvertently: The TV news story blew his carefully fabricated cover.
53.
break cover, to emerge, esp. suddenly, from a place of concealment: The fox broke cover and the chase was on.
54.
cover one's ass, Slang:Vulgar. to take measures that will prevent one from suffering blame, loss, harm, etc.
55.
take cover, to seek shelter or safety: The hikers took cover in a deserted cabin to escape the sudden storm.
56.
under cover,
a.
clandestinely; secretly: Arrangements for the escape were made under cover.
b.
within an envelope: The report will be mailed to you under separate cover.
Origin: 1200–50; ME coveren < OF covrir < L cooperīre to cover completely, equiv. to co-co-+ operīre to shut, close, cover (op-, appar. for ob-ob-+ -erīre;see aperient)
Related forms:
cov⋅er⋅a⋅ble, adjective
cov⋅er⋅er, noun
cov⋅er⋅less, adjective
Synonyms: 2.overlay, overspread, envelop, enwrap. 6.cloak, conceal. 11.counterbalance, compensate for. 37, 38.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 heavy 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.
To place something upon or over, so as to protect or conceal.
To overlay or spread with something: cover potatoes with gravy.
To put a cover or covering on.
To wrap up; clothe.
To spread over the surface of: Dust covered the table. Snow covered the ground.
To extend over: a farm covering more than 100 acres.
To copulate with (a female). Used especially of horses.
To sit on in order to hatch.
To protect or shield from harm, loss, or danger.
To protect by insurance: took out a new policy that will cover all our camera equipment.
To compensate or make up for.
To have as one's territory or sphere of work.
To be responsible for reporting the details of (an event or situation): Two reporters covered the news story.
To guard (an opponent playing offense).
To defend (a position or area): cover third base; cover the backcourt.
To invest (oneself) with a great deal of something: covered themselves with glory.
To spread over the surface of: Dust covered the table. Snow covered the ground.
To extend over: a farm covering more than 100 acres.
To copulate with (a female). Used especially of horses.
To sit on in order to hatch.
To protect or shield from harm, loss, or danger.
To protect by insurance: took out a new policy that will cover all our camera equipment.
To compensate or make up for.
To have as one's territory or sphere of work.
To be responsible for reporting the details of (an event or situation): Two reporters covered the news story.
To guard (an opponent playing offense).
To defend (a position or area): cover third base; cover the backcourt.
To copulate with (a female). Used especially of horses.
To sit on in order to hatch.
To protect or shield from harm, loss, or danger.
To protect by insurance: took out a new policy that will cover all our camera equipment.
To compensate or make up for.
To have as one's territory or sphere of work.
To be responsible for reporting the details of (an event or situation): Two reporters covered the news story.
To guard (an opponent playing offense).
To defend (a position or area): cover third base; cover the backcourt.
To hide or screen from view or knowledge; conceal: covered up his misdemeanors.
To protect or shield from harm, loss, or danger.
To protect by insurance: took out a new policy that will cover all our camera equipment.
To compensate or make up for.
To have as one's territory or sphere of work.
To be responsible for reporting the details of (an event or situation): Two reporters covered the news story.
To guard (an opponent playing offense).
To defend (a position or area): cover third base; cover the backcourt.
To be sufficient to defray, meet, or offset the cost or charge of: had enough funds to cover her check.
To make provision for; take into account: The law does not cover all crimes.
To deal with; treat of: The book covers the feminist movement.
To travel or pass over; traverse: They covered 60 miles in two days.
To have as one's territory or sphere of work.
To be responsible for reporting the details of (an event or situation): Two reporters covered the news story.
To guard (an opponent playing offense).
To defend (a position or area): cover third base; cover the backcourt.
To hold within the range and aim of a weapon, such as a firearm.
To protect, as from enemy attack, by occupying a strategic position.
Sports
To guard (an opponent playing offense).
To defend (a position or area): cover third base; cover the backcourt.
To match (an opponent's stake) in a wager.
To purchase (stock that one has shorted).
Games To play a higher-ranking card than (the one previously played).
Music To record a cover version of (a song).
Obsolete To pardon or remit.
v.
intr.
To spread over a surface to protect or conceal something: a paint that covers well.
To act as a substitute or replacement during someone's absence: Her assistant covered for her.
To hide something in order to save someone from censure or punishment: cover up for a colleague.
Games To play a higher card than the one previously played.
n.
Something that covers or is laid, placed, or spread over or upon something else, as:
A lid or top.
A binding or enclosure for a book or magazine.
A bedcover.
A protective overlay, as for a mattress or furniture.
Something that provides shelter.
Strategic protection given by armed units during hostile action: The battleship approached the combat zone under a cover of fighter planes.
Something, such as vegetation, covering the surface of the ground.
Vegetation, such as underbrush, serving as protective concealment for wild animals.
Something, such as darkness, that screens, conceals, or disguises. See Synonyms at shelter.
A false background and identity, especially for a spy.
Something that provides shelter.
Strategic protection given by armed units during hostile action: The battleship approached the combat zone under a cover of fighter planes.
Something, such as vegetation, covering the surface of the ground.
Vegetation, such as underbrush, serving as protective concealment for wild animals.
Something, such as darkness, that screens, conceals, or disguises. See Synonyms at shelter.
A false background and identity, especially for a spy.
Something, such as vegetation, covering the surface of the ground.
Vegetation, such as underbrush, serving as protective concealment for wild animals.
Something, such as darkness, that screens, conceals, or disguises. See Synonyms at shelter.
A false background and identity, especially for a spy.
A layer of clouds obscuring the sky or ground.
Something, such as darkness, that screens, conceals, or disguises. See Synonyms at shelter.
A false background and identity, especially for a spy.
A table setting for one person: Covers were laid for ten.
A cover charge.
An envelope or wrapper for mail.
Funds sufficient to meet an obligation or secure against loss.
One who substitutes for another.
Music A cover version.
[Middle English coveren, from Old French covrir, from Latin cooperīre, to cover completely : co-, intensive pref.; see co- + operīre, to cover; see wer-4 in Indo-European roots.] cov'er·a·ble adj., cov'er·er n., cov'er·less adj.
cov·er·ing (kŭv'ər-ĭng) n. Something that covers, so as to protect or conceal.
c.1150, from O.Fr. covrir, from L.L. coperire, from L. cooperire "to cover over," from com- intens. prefix + operire "to close, cover" (see weir). Military sense is from 1687; newspaper sense first recorded 1893; use in football dates from 1907. Betting sense is 1857. As a euphemism for "copulation of horses" it dates from 1535. Meaning "recording of a song already recorded by another" is 1966. Cover-up is from 1927. Cover girl is U.S. slang from 1915, shortening of magazine-cover girl.
Main Entry: 2cover Function: noun : purchase of goods in substitution for those originally contracted for when the seller fails to fulfill the contract cover and damages for nondelivery —Uniform Commercial Code>; also: the substituted goods NOTE: Under the Uniform Commercial Code, when a seller does not perform on a contract, the buyer has the option of covering, with the seller paying the difference between the cost of the cover and the original contract price, or seeking damages for nonperformance. Reselling is the seller's comparable remedy when a buyer does not perform under a contract.
[kuhv-er-ing] 
