Cover definition

Cover as a verb

1. provide with a covering or cause to be covered

   "cover her face with a handkerchief"

2. form a cover over

   "The grass covered the grave"

   Same sense: spread over

3. span an interval of distance, space or time

   "The period covered the turn of the century"

   Same sense: continue, extend

4. provide for

   "The grant doesn't cover my salary"

5. act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression

   "The course covered all of Western Civilization"

   Same sense: deal, address, handle, treat, plow

6. include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory

   "this should cover everyone in the group"

   Same sense: embrace, comprehend, encompass

7. travel across or pass over

   "The caravan covered almost 100 miles each day"

   Same sense: get over, get across, cut through, track, pass over, cross, cut across, traverse

8. be responsible for reporting the details of, as in journalism

   "The cub reporter covered New York City"

   Same sense: report

9. hold within range of an aimed firearm

10. to take an action to protect against future problems

    "Count the cash in the drawer twice just to cover yourself"

11. hide from view or knowledge

    "The President covered the fact that he bugged the offices in the White House"

    Same sense: cover up

12. protect or defend (a position in a game)

    "he covered left field"

13. maintain a check on; especially by patrolling

    "The second officer covered the top floor"

14. protect by insurance

    "The insurance won't cover this"

    Same sense: insure, underwrite

15. make up for shortcomings or a feeling of inferiority by exaggerating good qualities

    Same sense: compensate, overcompensate

16. invest with a large or excessive amount of something

    "She covered herself with glory"

17. help out by taking someone's place and temporarily assuming their responsibilities

    "She is covering for our secretary who is ill this week"

18. be sufficient to meet, defray, or offset the charge or cost of

    "Is this enough to cover the check?"

19. spread over a surface to conceal or protect

    "This paint covers well"

20. cover as if with a shroud

    Same sense: hide, shroud, enshroud

21. copulate with a female, used especially of horses

    "The horse covers the mare"

    Same sense: breed

22. put something on top of something else

    "cover the meat with a lot of gravy"

    Same sense: overlay

23. play a higher card than the one previously played

    "Smith covered again"

24. be responsible for guarding an opponent in a game

25. sit on (eggs)

    "The female covers the eggs"

    Same sense: hatch, brood, incubate

26. clothe, as if for protection from the elements

    "cover your head!"

    Same sense: wrap up

Cover as a noun

27. a covering that serves to conceal or shelter something

    "under cover of darkness"

    Same sense: screen, covert, concealment

28. bedding that keeps a person warm in bed

    "he pulled the covers over his head and went to sleep"

    Same sense: blanket

29. the act of concealing the existence of something by obstructing the view of it

    "the cover concealed their guns from enemy aircraft"

    Same sense: covering, screening, masking

30. the protective covering on the front, back, and spine of a book

    Same sense: back, binding, book binding

31. a natural object that covers or envelops

    "under a covering of dust"

    Same sense: covering, natural covering

32. covering for a hole (especially a hole in the top of a container)

    "put the cover back on the kettle"

    Same sense: top

33. fire that makes it difficult for the enemy to fire on your own individuals or formations

    "artillery provided covering fire for the withdrawal"

    Same sense: covering fire

34. a fixed charge by a restaurant or nightclub over and above the charge for food and drink

    Same sense: cover charge

35. a recording of a song that was first recorded or made popular by somebody else

    "they made a cover of a Beatles' song"

    Same sense: cover song, cover version

36. a false identity and background (especially one created for an undercover agent)

    "her new name and passport are cover for her next assignment"

Synonyms and antonyms

• spread over
• continue definition
• extend
• deal definition
• address
• handle
• treat
• plow
• embrace
• comprehend
• encompass
• get over
• get across
• cut through
• track
• pass over
• cross
• cut across
• traverse
• report definition
• cover up
• insure
• underwrite
• compensate

Opposite: uncover.

How to say cover

Cover has 2 syllables and rhymes with discover. Syllable counts and rhymes come from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary.

Words that rhyme with cover

• discover
• recover
• lover
• undercover
• uncover
• glover
• hardcover
• hover
• rediscover
• plover
• shover

COVER in word games

Scrabble

10

Words With Friends

12

Anagrams

0

Is COVER a valid Scrabble word? Yes, it is in the ENABLE list most word games use. Check COVER in the word checker, or unscramble COVER to see the shorter words in its letters.