From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Cover \Cov"er\ (k?v"?r), n.
1. Anything which is laid, set, or spread, upon, about, or
over, another thing; an envelope; a lid; as, the cover of
a book.
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2. Anything which veils or conceals; a screen; disguise; a
cloak. "Under cover of the night." -- Macaulay.
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A handsome cover for imperfections. --Collier.
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3. Shelter; protection; as, the troops fought under cover of
the batteries; the woods afforded a good cover.
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Being compelled to lodge in the field . . . whilst
his army was under cover, they might be forced to
retire. --Clarendon.
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4. (Hunting) The woods, underbrush, etc., which shelter and
conceal game; covert; as, to beat a cover; to ride to
cover.
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5. That portion of a slate, tile, or shingle, which is hidden
by the overlap of the course above. --Knight.
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6. (Steam Engine) The lap of a slide valve.
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7. [Cf. F. couvert.] A tablecloth, and the other table
furniture; esp., the table furniture for the use of one
person at a meal; as, covers were laid for fifty guests.
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To break cover, to start from a covert or lair; -- said of
game.
Under cover, in an envelope, or within a letter; -- said of
a written message.
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Letters . . . dispatched under cover to her
ladyship. --Thackeray.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Cover \Cov"er\ (k?v"?r), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Covered (-?rd);
p. pr. & vb. n. Covering.] [OF. covrir, F. couvrir, fr. L.
cooperire; co- + operire to cover; probably fr. ob towards,
over + the root appearing in aperire to open. Cf. Aperient,
Overt, Curfew.]
1. To overspread the surface of (one thing) with another; as,
to cover wood with paint or lacquer; to cover a table with
a cloth.
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2. To envelop; to clothe, as with a mantle or cloak.
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And with the majesty of darkness round
Covers his throne. --Milton.
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All that beauty than doth cover thee. --Shak.
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3. To invest (one's self with something); to bring upon
(one's self); as, he covered himself with glory.
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The powers that covered themselves with everlasting
infamy by the partition of Poland. --Brougham.
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4. To hide sight; to conceal; to cloak; as, the enemy were
covered from our sight by the woods.
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A cloud covered the mount. --Exod. xxiv.
15.
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In vain shou striv'st to cover shame with shame.
--Milton.
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5. To brood or sit on; to incubate.
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While the hen is covering her eggs, the male . . .
diverts her with his songs. --Addison.
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6. To overwhelm; to spread over.
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The waters returned and covered the chariots and the
horsemen. --Ex. xiv. 28.
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7. To shelter, as from evil or danger; to protect; to defend;
as, the cavalry covered the retreat.
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His calm and blameless life
Does with substantial blessedness abound,
And the soft wings of peace cover him round.
--Cowley.
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8. To remove from remembrance; to put away; to remit.
"Blessed is he whose is covered." --Ps. xxxii. 1.
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9. To extend over; to be sufficient for; to comprehend,
include, or embrace; to account for or solve; to
counterbalance; as, a mortgage which fully covers a sum
loaned on it; a law which covers all possible cases of a
crime; receipts than do not cover expenses.
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10. To put the usual covering or headdress on.
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Cover thy head . . .; nay, prithee, be covered.
--Shak.
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11. To copulate with (a female); to serve; as, a horse covers
a mare; -- said of the male.
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To cover ground or To cover distance, to pass over; as,
the rider covered the ground in an hour.
To cover one's short contracts (Stock Exchange), to buy
stock when the market rises, as a dealer who has sold
short does in order to protect himself.
Covering party (Mil.), a detachment of troops sent for the
protection of another detachment, as of men working in the
trenches.
To cover into, to transfer to; as, to cover into the
treasury.
Syn: To shelter; screen; shield; hide; overspread.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Cover \Cov"er\, v. i.
To spread a table for a meal; to prepare a banquet. [Obs.]
--Shak.
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