cover

I. verb (covered; covering) Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French coverir, covrir, from Latin cooperire, from co- + operire to close, cover Date: 13th century transitive verb 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 <

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 (3) to protect by contrivance or expedient 2. a. 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 seed bed with straw

> 4. a. 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

> 6. a. 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

> 11. a. 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 <

the 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 2. to act as a substitute or replacement during an absence • coverable adjective • coverer noun II. noun Usage: often attributive Date: 14th century 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. British 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 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 (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 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 • coverless adjective