cover

pronunciation

How to pronounce cover in British English: UK [ˈkʌvə(r)]word uk audio image

How to pronounce cover in American English: US [ˈkʌvər] word us audio image

  • Noun:
    a covering that serves to conceal or shelter something
    bedding that keeps a person warm in bed
    the act of concealing the existence of something by obstructing the view of it
    the front and back covering of a book
    a natural object that covers or envelops
    covering for a hole (especially a hole in the top of a container)
    fire that makes it difficult for the enemy to fire on your own individuals or formations
    a fixed charge by a restaurant or night club over and above the charge for food and drink
    a recording of a song that was first recorded or made popular by somebody else
    a false identity and background (especially one created for an undercover agent)
  • Verb:
    provide with a covering or cause to be covered
    form a cover over
    span an interval of distance, space or time
    provide for
    deal with verbally or in some form of artistic expression
    include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory
    travel across or pass over
    be responsible for reporting the details of, as in journalism
    hold within range of an aimed firearm
    to take an action to protect against future problems
    hide from view or knowledge
    protect or defend (a position in a game)
    maintain a check on; especially by patrolling
    protect by insurance
    make up for shortcomings or a feeling of inferiority by exaggerating good qualities
    invest with a large or excessive amount of something
    help out by taking someone's place and temporarily assuming his responsibilities
    be sufficient to meet, defray, or offset the charge or cost of
    spread over a surface to conceal or protect
    cover as if with a shroud
    copulate with a female, used especially of horses
    put something on top of something else
    play a higher card than the one previously played
    be responsible for guarding an opponent in a game
    sit on (eggs)
    clothe, as if for protection from the elements

Word Origin

cover
cover: [13] Cover comes ultimately from Latin cooperīre, a compound verb formed from the intensive prefix com- ‘completely’ and operīre ‘cover’ (a relative of aperīre ‘open’, from which English gets aperient). It passed into English via Old French cuvrir or covrir. Derivatives include coverlet [13] (in which the final element represents not the diminutive suffix but French lit ‘bed’, the word being a borrowing from Anglo-Norman covrelit, literally ‘bed-cover’) and kerchief (literally ‘head-cover’), as in handkerchief.=> aperient, discover
cover (v.)
mid-12c., from Old French covrir (12c., Modern French couvrir) "to cover, protect, conceal, dissemble," from Late Latin coperire, from Latin cooperire "to cover over, overwhelm, bury," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + operire "to close, cover" (see weir). Related: Covered; covering. Military sense is from 1680s; newspaper sense first recorded 1893; use in football dates from 1907. Betting sense is 1857. Of horses, as a euphemism for "copulate" it dates from 1530s. Covered wagon attested from 1745.
cover (n.)
early 13c., in compounds, from cover (v.). Meaning "recording of a song already recorded by another" is 1966. Cover girl is U.S. slang from 1915, shortening of magazine-cover girl.

Antonym

vt.

uncover

Example

1. Oceans cover about three-quarters of the earth 's surface .
2. That tweet is also this week 's cover image .
3. Nobody else can provide the same support and cover .
4. The study did not cover uninsured patients .
5. So cover the bin to keep out the light .

more: >How to Use "cover" with Example Sentences