cover

verb

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cov·er | \ ˈkə-vər

covered; covering\ ˈkəv-riŋ

, ˈkə-və- \

Definition of cover

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to guard from attack

b(1) : to have within the range of one's guns : command The ships were covering approaches to the harbor.

(2) : to hold within range of an aimed firearm The deputy covered the sheriff who was apprehending the suspect.

c(1) : to afford protection or security to : insure a policy covering the traveler in all kinds of accidents

(2) : to afford protection against or compensation (see compensation sense 2) for a policy covering loss by fire

d(1) : to guard (an opponent) in order to obstruct a play a linebacker assigned to cover the tight end

(2) : to be in position to receive a throw to (a base in baseball) The shortstop was covering second.

e(1) : to make provision for (a demand or charge) by means of a reserve or deposit Your balance is insufficient to cover the check.

(2) : to maintain a check on especially by patrolling motorcycle police covering the highways

(3) : to protect by contrivance or expedient

2a : to hide from sight or knowledge : conceal cover up a scandal

b : to lie over : envelop a blanket covering her legs

3 : to lay or spread something over : overlay Cover the seedbed with straw.

4a : to spread over Snow covered the hills.

b : to appear here and there on the surface of a region covered with lakes

5 : to place or set a cover or covering over Cover the pot.

6a : to copulate with (a female animal) a horse covers a mare

b : to sit on and incubate (eggs)

7 : to invest with a large or excessive amount of something covered 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 an examination covering a full year's work

10 : to deal with : treat material covered in the first chapter

11a : to have as one's territory or field of activity One sales rep covers the whole state.

b : to report news about reporters covering the campaign

12 : to pass over : traverse Tthe hikers covered 12 miles that day.

13 : to defray the cost of cover expenses

14 : to place one's stake in equal jeopardy with in a bet

15 : to buy securities or commodities for delivery against (an earlier short sale)

16 : to record or perform a cover of (a song)

intransitive verb

1 : to conceal something illicit, blameworthy, or embarrassing from notice —usually used with up cover up for a careless coworker

2 : to act as a substitute or replacement during an absence a stand-in covering for an injured star

cover one's tracks

: to conceal traces in order to elude pursuers or escape detection

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.

cover

noun, often attributive

Definition of cover (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : something that protects, shelters, or guards: such 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 British : coverage sense 1a

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 especially for protection a mattress cover

d : a tablecloth and the other table accessories

e : cover charge

f : roof

g : a cloth used on a bed for warmth or for decoration —usually used in plural lying under the covers

h : something (such as vegetation or snow) that covers the ground

i : the extent to which clouds obscure the sky

3a : something that conceals or obscures under cover of darkness

b : a masking device : pretext The project was a cover for intelligence operations.

4 : an envelope or wrapper for mail

5 : one who substitutes for another during an absence

6 : a recording or performance of a song previously recorded by another performer

under cover

1 : in an envelope or wrapper

2 : under concealment : in secret

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Other Words from cover

Verb

coverable \ ˈkəv-rə-bəl

, ˈkə-və- \ adjective

coverer \ ˈkə-vər-ər

\ noun

Noun

coverless \ ˈkə-vər-ləs

\ adjective

Synonyms for cover

Synonyms: Verb

Synonyms: Noun

cap,
lid,
top

Examples of cover in a Sentence

Verb The gardener covered the soil with mulch. The furniture had been covered in a protective cloth. We covered the stains on the wall with a fresh coat of paint. You should cover your mouth when you cough. She covered her head with a scarf. tables covered with white linen Lakes cover much of the state. The hikers covered long distances every day. The bird may cover thousands of miles during its migration. Noun She placed a cover over the pan so that the oil wouldn't spatter. I put a cover on the sofa to protect it. There's a picture of the author on the book's back cover. The singer is posing in jeans and cowboy boots on the album cover.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Villagers raised $5,000 to help cover the team’s expenses for the trip to the state tournament, according to the Arctic Sounder, and people are thrilled that the Hunters are part of the eight-team tournament. — Beth Bragg, Anchorage Daily News, "With players from two villages and a coach so young he can’t drive the team van, the Upriver Hunters are ready to make their state tournament debut," 1 Apr. 2021 Program funding will also help cover the costs of other expenses, such as food, transportation and child care. — Tyler Arnold, Washington Examiner, "Free community college coming for low-income Virginia residents in select fields," 30 Mar. 2021 Gilbert last week announced plans to spend $500 million in Detroit over the next decade as a philanthropic gesture, with the first $15 million earmarked to help cover residents' delinquent property taxes. — Jc Reindl, Detroit Free Press, "Report: Gilbert's Bedrock lays off 60 employees," 29 Mar. 2021 State officials expect about $207 million in federal funding to help cover the cost of the program. — BostonGlobe.com, "Massachusetts pool coronavirus testing in schools finds 0.7 percent positivity rate since February," 29 Mar. 2021 The report was stark and final: if partners couldn’t be found to help cover the cost of maintaining the site by 2011, Arecibo should be closed. — Daniel Alarcón, The New Yorker, "The Collapse of Puerto Rico’s Iconic Telescope," 29 Mar. 2021 The aid is expected to help cover MARTA operations through 2025. — David Wickert, ajc, "COVID-19 aid keeps metro Atlanta transit agencies afloat," 27 Mar. 2021 Following appeals from concerned service members, the Interior Ministry has proposed new legislation that would give these animals an official status, and paid retirement to help cover the often costly care bills their new owners face. — Star Tribune, "Poland plans pensions for dogs, horses in state employment," 27 Mar. 2021 The federal government in early April will start offering financial assistance to help cover funeral costs for people who have died of COVID-19. — Kate Gibson, CBS News, "FEMA launches nationwide program to help people pay for COVID-19 funeral costs," 24 Mar. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The focus will be on Alabama Power’s preferred method of closing an approximately 600-acre pond through a cover-in-place method. — al, "Cap it or remove it: Coal ash dispute in Mobile attracting 80 speakers for public hearing," 30 Mar. 2021 This works well for the cover, case, buttons and keyboard, but not on touchscreens which like phones and tablets, have a delicate coating. — Bryony Gilbey, chicagotribune.com, "Isopropyl alcohol for cleaning electronics," 28 Mar. 2021 The bed hangings, duvet cover, and Roman shades are all made of the same linen and feature the same print, giving off a cozy, romantic feel. — Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, "From the Archive: Skirted Furniture That Will Make You Want to Go Back in Time," 27 Mar. 2021 And that young girl on the book’s cover – her eyes closed, windswept hair blowing behind her – is Rose herself. — oregonlive, "Hair care brand Ella Dean is named for family behind Oregon’s oldest Black-owned business," 25 Mar. 2021 It has been used for wildlife cover, soil erosion control and as a decorative bush. — Ayana Archie, The Courier-Journal, "Why honeysuckle (yes, honeysuckle), carp and other 'nuisance species' threaten Kentucky," 25 Mar. 2021 The Oulmans are also working on opening a new watering hole in May, the White Squirrel Bar on West 7th Street in St. Paul, with plans to eventually host no-cover live music gigs there, too. — Chris Riemenschneider, Star Tribune, "Famed Minneapolis bars Palmer's and 331 Club reopen with outdoor music plans," 25 Mar. 2021 Our biggest nit is the tank cover, which opens at a hinge to fill. — Lesley Kennedy, CNN Underscored, "The best irons of 2021," 24 Mar. 2021 The unique fishing gifts below cover a wide range of anglers and interests—no matter if your mother loves to fly fish, cast for bass, or chase salt-water monsters. — Outdoor Life, "Gift Ideas for Moms Who Fish: Gear and Fishing Gadgets to Help Her Catch the Big One," 22 Mar. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cover.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

4 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Cover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cover. Accessed 11 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for cover

cover

verb

English Language Learners Definition of cover

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to put something over, on top of, or in front of (something else) especially in order to protect, hide, or close it

: to be spread over or on top of (something)

: to be over much or all of the surface of (something)

cover

noun

English Language Learners Definition of cover (Entry 2 of 2)

: something that is put around or on top of another thing especially to protect, hide, or close it

: a blanket or sheet on a bed

: the outer part of a book or magazine

See the full definition for cover in the English Language Learners Dictionary

cover

verb

cov·er | \ ˈkə-vər

covered; covering

Kids Definition of cover

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : to place or spread something over Cover the pot. She covered her head with a cloth and said a special prayer …— Lois Lowry, Number the Stars

2 : to be spread with or extend over much or all of the surface of His face is covered with freckles.

3 : to form a covering over Snow covered the ground.

4 : to pass over or through The bikers covered 50 miles a day.

5 : to provide protection to or against Soldiers covered the landing with artillery.

6 : to maintain a check on by patrolling Police cover the highways.

7 : to hide from sight or knowledge I covered my embarrassment.

8 : to deal with as a subject The test will cover everything we've studied so far.

9 : to have as a field of activity or interest Our newspaper employs a reporter covering the courthouse.

10 : to provide insurance for

cover

noun

Kids Definition of cover (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : something that protects, shelters, or hides

2 : a covering (as a blanket) used on a bed

3 : a binding or a protecting case a book cover

4 : something that is placed over or about another thing : lid, top a mattress cover the cover of a box

cover

transitive verb

cov·er

Legal Definition of cover

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : insure this policy covers other family drivers

2 : to give protection against or compensation or indemnification for doesn't cover flood damage

intransitive verb

: to obtain cover where the seller anticipatorily repudiates a contract and the buyer does not cover — Cosden Oil & Chemical Co. v. Karl O. Helm AG, 736 F.2d 1064 (1984)

cover

noun

Legal Definition of cover (Entry 2 of 2)

: purchase of goods in substitution for those originally contracted for when the seller fails to fulfill the contract the buyer is always free to choose between 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.

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