[cov.er] vb cov.ered ; cov.er.ing [ME, fr. OF covrir, fr. L cooperire, fr. co- + operire to close, cover] vt (13c) 1 a: to guard from attack b (1): to have within the range of one's guns: command (2): to hold within range of an aimed firearm c (1): to afford protection or security to: insure (2): to afford protection against or compensation for d (1): to guard (an opponent) in order to obstruct a play (2): to be in position to receive a throw to (a base in baseball) e (1): to make provision for (a demand or charge) by means of a reserve or deposit "your balance is insufficient to ~ the check" (2): to maintain a check on esp. by patrolling (3): to protect by contrivance or expedient
2. a: to hide from sight or knowledge: conceal "~ up a scandal" b: to lie over: envelop
3: to lay or spread something over: overlay
4. a: to spread over b: to appear here and there on the surface of
5: to place or set a cover or covering over
6. a: to copulate with (a female animal) "a horse ~s a mare" b: to sit on and incubate (eggs) 7: to invest with a large or excessive amount of something "~ed herself with glory" 8: to play a higher-ranking card on (a previously played card) 9: to have sufficient scope to include or take into account: comprise 10: to deal with: treat 11 a: to have as one's territory or field of activity "one sales rep ~s the whole state" b: to report news about 12: to pass over: traverse 13: to place one's stake in equal jeopardy with in a bet 14: to buy securities or commodities for delivery against (an earlier short sale) 15: to record a cover of (a song) ~ vi 1: to conceal something illicit, blameworthy, or embarrassing from notice--usu. used with up
2: to act as a substitute or replacement during an absence -- cov.er.able adj -- co.ver.er n -- cover one's tracks : to conceal traces in order to elude pursuers -- cover the ground or cover ground : to deal with a subject or assignment in a particular manner "the new book covers a lot of ground"
[2]cover n, often attrib (14c) 1: something that protects, shelters, or guards: as a: natural shelter for an animal; also: the factors that provide such shelter b (1): a position or situation affording protection from enemy fire (2): the protection offered by airplanes in tactical support of a military operation c Brit: coverage 1a, b, 2a
2: something that is placed over or about another thing: a: lid, top b: a binding or case for a book or the analogous part of a magazine; also: the front or back of such a binding c: an overlay or outer layer esp. for protection "a mattress ~" d: a tablecloth and the other table accessories e: cover charge f: roof g: a cloth used on a bed h: something (as vegetation or snow) that covers the ground i: the extent to which clouds obscure the sky 3 a: something that conceals or obscures "under ~ of darkness" b : a masking device: pretext "the project was a ~ for intelligence operations"
4: an envelope or wrapper for mail
5: one who substitutes for another during an absence
6: a recording of a song previously recorded usu. by another performer -- cov.er.less adj -- under cover 1: in an envelope or wrapper
2: under concealment: in secret