What does cover mean?
Definitions for cover
ˈkʌv ərcov·er
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word cover.
Princeton's WordNet
screen, cover, covert, concealmentnoun
a covering that serves to conceal or shelter something
"a screen of trees afforded privacy"; "under cover of darkness"; "the brush provided a covert for game"; "the simplest concealment is to match perfectly the color of the background"
blanket, covernoun
bedding that keeps a person warm in bed
"he pulled the covers over his head and went to sleep"
cover, covering, screening, maskingnoun
the act of concealing the existence of something by obstructing the view of it
"the cover concealed their guns from enemy aircraft"
binding, book binding, cover, backnoun
the protective covering on the front, back, and spine of a book
"the book had a leather binding"
covering, natural covering, covernoun
a natural object that covers or envelops
"under a covering of dust"; "the fox was flushed from its cover"
top, covernoun
covering for a hole (especially a hole in the top of a container)
"he removed the top of the carton"; "he couldn't get the top off of the bottle"; "put the cover back on the kettle"
cover, covering firenoun
fire that makes it difficult for the enemy to fire on your own individuals or formations
"artillery provided covering fire for the withdrawal"
cover charge, covernoun
a fixed charge by a restaurant or nightclub over and above the charge for food and drink
cover, cover version, cover songnoun
a recording of a song that was first recorded or made popular by somebody else
"they made a cover of a Beatles' song"
coververb
a false identity and background (especially one created for an undercover agent)
"her new name and passport are cover for her next assignment"
coververb
provide with a covering or cause to be covered
"cover her face with a handkerchief"; "cover the child with a blanket"; "cover the grave with flowers"
cover, spread oververb
form a cover over
"The grass covered the grave"
cover, continue, extendverb
span an interval of distance, space or time
"The war extended over five years"; "The period covered the turn of the century"; "My land extends over the hills on the horizon"; "This farm covers some 200 acres"; "The Archipelago continues for another 500 miles"
coververb
provide for
"The grant doesn't cover my salary"
cover, treat, handle, plow, deal, addressverb
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
"This book deals with incest"; "The course covered all of Western Civilization"; "The new book treats the history of China"
embrace, encompass, comprehend, coververb
include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory
"This group encompasses a wide range of people from different backgrounds"; "this should cover everyone in the group"
traverse, track, cover, cross, pass over, get over, get across, cut through, cut acrossverb
travel across or pass over
"The caravan covered almost 100 miles each day"
report, coververb
be responsible for reporting the details of, as in journalism
"Snow reported on China in the 1950's"; "The cub reporter covered New York City"
coververb
hold within range of an aimed firearm
coververb
to take an action to protect against future problems
"Count the cash in the drawer twice just to cover yourself"
cover, cover upverb
hide from view or knowledge
"The President covered the fact that he bugged the offices in the White House"
coververb
protect or defend (a position in a game)
"he covered left field"
coververb
maintain a check on; especially by patrolling
"The second officer covered the top floor"
cover, insure, underwriteverb
protect by insurance
"The insurance won't cover this"
cover, compensate, overcompensateverb
make up for shortcomings or a feeling of inferiority by exaggerating good qualities
"he is compensating for being a bad father"
coververb
invest with a large or excessive amount of something
"She covered herself with glory"
coververb
help out by taking someone's place and temporarily assuming his responsibilities
"She is covering for our secretary who is ill this week"
coververb
be sufficient to meet, defray, or offset the charge or cost of
"Is this enough to cover the check?"
coververb
spread over a surface to conceal or protect
"This paint covers well"
shroud, enshroud, hide, coververb
cover as if with a shroud
"The origins of this civilization are shrouded in mystery"
breed, coververb
copulate with a female, used especially of horses
"The horse covers the mare"
overlay, coververb
put something on top of something else
"cover the meat with a lot of gravy"
coververb
play a higher card than the one previously played
"Smith covered again"
coververb
be responsible for guarding an opponent in a game
brood, hatch, cover, incubateverb
sit on (eggs)
"Birds brood"; "The female covers the eggs"
cover, wrap upverb
clothe, as if for protection from the elements
"cover your head!"
Wiktionary
covernoun
A lid.
covernoun
A hiding from view.
covernoun
A front and back of a book or magazine.
covernoun
A top sheet of a bed.
covernoun
A setting at a restaurant table.
We need to set another cover for the Smith party.
covernoun
A rerecording of a previously recorded song; a cover version; a cover song.
covernoun
A fielding position on the off side, between point and mid off, about 30° forward of square; a fielder in this position.
covernoun
A set (more often known as a family) of sets, whose union contains the given set.
The open intervals are a cover for the real numbers.
coververb
To place something over or upon, as to conceal or protect.
coververb
To be over or upon, as to conceal or protect.
The blanket covered the baby.
coververb
To be upon all of, so as to completely conceal.
Regular hexagons can cover the plane.
coververb
To set upon all of, so as to completely conceal.
You can cover the plane with regular hexagons.
coververb
To discuss thoroughly, to provide good coverage of.
The magazine covers such diverse topics as politics, news from the world of science, and the economy.
coververb
To deal with
coververb
To be enough money for.
coververb
To act as a replacement.
I need to take off Tuesday. Can you cover for me?
coververb
To have as an assignment or responsibility.
covernoun
An envelope complete with stamps and postmarks etc.
covernoun
A solid object, including terrain, that provides protection from enemy fire.
covernoun
In commercial law, a buyer's purchase on the open market of goods similar or identical to the goods contracted for after a seller has breached a contract of sale by failure to deliver the goods contracted for.
covernoun
An insurance contract; coverage by an insurance contract.
covernoun
A persona maintained by a spy or undercover operative, cover story
coververb
To make a cover version of (a song that was originally recorded by another artist).
coververb
To protect using an aimed firearm and the threat of firing; or to protect using continuous, heaving fire at or in the direction of the enemy so as to force the enemy to remain in cover; or to threaten using an aimed firearm.
coververb
To provide insurance coverage for.
Does my policy cover accidental loss?
coververb
To copulate with (said of certain male animals such as dogs and horses).
coveradjective
Of or pertaining to the front cover of a book or magazine.
coveradjective
Of, pertaining to, or consisting of cover versions.
Etymology: coveren, from covrir (Modern couvrir) from coperire from cooperire, from co-, intensive prefix, + operire "to close, cover". Displaced native thecchen and bithecchen (from þeccan, beþeccan), helen (from helan), wreon (from wreon), hodren (from hudren "to cover up").
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
Covernoun
Etymology: from the verb.
The secundine is but a general cover, not shaped according to the parts, but the skin is shaped according to the parts. Francis Bacon, Natural History, №. 732.
The fountains could be strengthened no other way than by making a strong cover or arch over them. Thomas Burnet, Theory.
Orestes’ bulky rage,
Unsatisfy’d with margins closely writ,
Foams o’er the covers, and not finish’d yet. John Dryden, Juv. Sat.With your hand, or any other cover, you stop the vessel, so as wholly to exclude the air. John Ray, on the Creation.
The truth and reason of things may be artificially and effectually insinuated, under the cover either of a real fact, or of a supposed one. Roger L'Estrange.
As the spleen has great inconveniences, so the pretence of it is a handsome cover for imperfections. Jeremy Collier, on the Spleen.
In the mean time, by being compelled to lodge in the field, which grew now to be very cold, whilst his army was under cover, they might be forced to retire. Edward Hyde, b. viii.
To COVERverb
Etymology: couvrir, French.
The pastures are cloathed with flocks, the valleys also are covered over with corn. Ps. lxv. 13.
A man ought not to cover his head. 1 Cor. xi. 7.
Go to thy fellows, bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and we will come in to dinner. William Shakespeare, Merch. of Venice.
Or lead me to some solitary place,
And cover my retreat from human race. John Dryden, Virg. Geor.Raillery and wit serve only to cover nonsense with shame, when reason has first proved it to be mere nonsense. Isaac Watts.
Charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 1 Pet. iv. 8.
Natural historians observe, that only the male birds have voices; that their songs begin a little before breeding-time, and end a little after; that whilst the hen is covering her eggs, the male generally takes his stand upon a neighbouring bough within her hearing, and by that means amuses and diverts her with his songs during the whole time of her sitting. Joseph Addison, Spect.
That king had conferred the honour of grandee upon him, which was of no other advantage or signification to him, than to be covered in the presence of that king. John Dryden, Æn. Dedicat.
ChatGPT
cover
Cover can have several meanings based on the context, but generally, it refers to placing something on top or in front of another object, usually in order to protect, hide, contain or decorate it. As a noun, it could refer to something which lies on, over, or around something else, especially in order to protect or conceal it. In insurance, cover refers to the protection given by an insurance policy. In journalism, cover refers to the reporting of a particular important event or topic. In music, a cover is a new performance or recording of a previously recorded song by someone other than the original artist.
Webster Dictionary
Coververb
to overspread the surface of (one thing) with another; as, to cover wood with paint or lacquer; to cover a table with a cloth
Coververb
to envelop; to clothe, as with a mantle or cloak
Coververb
to invest (one's self with something); to bring upon (one's self); as, he covered himself with glory
Coververb
to hide sight; to conceal; to cloak; as, the enemy were covered from our sight by the woods
Coververb
to brood or sit on; to incubate
Coververb
to shelter, as from evil or danger; to protect; to defend; as, the cavalry covered the retreat
Coververb
to remove from remembrance; to put away; to remit
Coververb
to extend over; to be sufficient for; to comprehend, include, or embrace; to account for or solve; to counterbalance; as, a mortgage which fully covers a sum loaned on it; a law which covers all possible cases of a crime; receipts than do not cover expenses
Coververb
to put the usual covering or headdress on
Coververb
to copulate with (a female); to serve; as, a horse covers a mare; -- said of the male
Covernoun
anything which is laid, set, or spread, upon, about, or over, another thing; an envelope; a lid; as, the cover of a book
Covernoun
anything which veils or conceals; a screen; disguise; a cloak
Covernoun
shelter; protection; as, the troops fought under cover of the batteries; the woods afforded a good cover
Covernoun
the woods, underbrush, etc., which shelter and conceal game; covert; as, to beat a cover; to ride to cover
Covernoun
the lap of a slide valve
Covernoun
a tablecloth, and the other table furniture; esp., the table furniture for the use of one person at a meal; as, covers were laid for fifty guests
Coververb
to spread a table for a meal; to prepare a banquet
Etymology: [Cf. F. couvert.]
Freebase
Cover
In philately, the term cover pertains to the outside of an envelope or package with an address, typically with postage stamps that have been cancelled and is a term generally used among stamp and postal history collectors. The term does not include the contents of the letter or package, although they may add interest to the item if still present. Cover collecting plays an important role in postal history as many covers bear stamps, postmarks and other markings along with names and addresses all of which help to place a cover at a given time and place in history.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Cover
kuv′ėr, v.t. to hide: to clothe: to extend over: to brood or sit on: to be sufficient for: to protect: to table a coin of equal value in wagering: to copulate with—esp. of a stallion: to screen: to aim directly at.—v.i. to spread over so as to conceal something: to lay a table for a meal: to put one's hat on.—n. that which protects: undergrowth, thicket, concealing game, &c.: the table requisites for one person—plate, knife, fork, napkin, &c.: deceitfulness: a swindler's confederate.—adj. Cov′ered, intended or used for shelter or concealment: roofed over: with the hat on.—ns. Cover′ed-way; Cov′ert-way (fort.), a path about thirty feet wide outside the ditch of a fort, and so far sunk below the crest of the glacis as to afford cover or shelter to the soldiers; Cover′ing, anything that covers.—adj. Cov′ert, covered: concealed: secret.—n. a place that covers or affords protection.—ns. Cov′ert-coat, a short light overcoat; Cov′ert-coat′ing, cloth for such.—adv. Cov′ertly, in a covered or concealed manner.—n. Cov′erture, covering, shelter: (law) the condition of a married woman as legally under the protection of her husband.—Cover into, to transfer into; Cover shorts, to buy in such stocks as have been sold short, in order to meet one's engagements, &c.; Cover the buckle, to execute a difficult step in dancing. [Fr. couvrir (It. coprire)—L. co-operīre—con, and operīre, to cover.]
Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms
cover
1. The action by land, air, or sea forces to protect by offense, defense, or threat of either or both. 2. Those measures necessary to give protection to a person, plan, operation, formation, or installation from the enemy intelligence effort and leakage of information. 3. The act of maintaining a continuous receiver watch with transmitter calibrated and available, but not necessarily available for immediate use. 4. Shelter or protection, either natural or artificial. 5. (DOD only) Photographs or other recorded images which show a particular area of ground. 6. (DOD only) A code meaning,
Dictionary of Nautical Terms
cover
Security from attack or interruption, as under cover of the ship's guns, under cover of the parapet. In the field exercise and drill of troops, one body is said to cover another exactly in rear of it. Covers for sails when furled (to protect them from the weather when loosing and airing them is precluded), are made of strong canvas painted.
Military Dictionary and Gazetteer
cover
Natural or artificial protection from the fire of the enemy, the former being afforded by hills, woods, banks, walls, etc., the latter by fortifications constructed for the purpose. To cover is, in military language, to stand exactly behind another man.
Surnames Frequency by Census Records
COVER
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Cover is ranked #8858 in terms of the most common surnames in America.
The Cover surname appeared 3,699 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 would have the surname Cover.
87% or 3,220 total occurrences were White.
6.5% or 243 total occurrences were Black.
3.6% or 134 total occurrences were of Hispanic origin.
1.8% or 69 total occurrences were of two or more races.
0.6% or 24 total occurrences were Asian.
0.2% or 9 total occurrences were American Indian or Alaskan Native.
Matched Categories
British National Corpus
Spoken Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'cover' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1702
Written Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'cover' in Written Corpus Frequency: #1278
Nouns Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'cover' in Nouns Frequency: #833
Verbs Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'cover' in Verbs Frequency: #121
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of cover in Chaldean Numerology is: 5
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of cover in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9
Examples of cover in a Sentence
Don't be afraid to fail. Don't waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and go on to the next challenge. It's OK to fail. If you're not failing, you're not growing.
It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of nonviolence to cover impotence.
It provides cover for two different [areas]. It provides cover for Whoopi Goldberg because she made those statements and she was passionate about them, it also provides cover for the greater good of the show and for the greater good of ABC— for them to orchestrate this— it was a really great strategy. It worked out well because as the story gets progressively worse, you don’t want to be seen as somebody defending someone, especially when they’ve admitted on public record for doing something so horrific [as purchasing drugs to give to women.].
Marty This tasteless cover is a good indication of the lack of musical invention within. The musical growth of this band cannot even be charted. They are treading water in a sea of retarded sexuality and bad poetry.
The grand aim of all science is to cover the greatest number of empirical facts by logical deduction from the smallest number of hypotheses or axioms.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
Translations for cover
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
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