Webster's English Dictionary

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cover

1. cov.er \'k*v-*r\ \'k*v-(*-)rin\ \'k*v-*r-*r\ vb or cov.er.ing [ME 
   coveren, fr. OF covrir, fr. L cooperire, fr. co- +]operire to close, cover 
   - more at WEIR 1a: to guard from attack  1b1: to have within the range of 
   one's guns : COMMAND  1b2: to hold within range of an aimed firearm  1c1: 
   to afford protection or security to : INSURE  1c2: to afford protection 
   against or compensation for  1d1: to guard (an opponent) in order to 
   obstruct a play  1d2: to be in position to receive a throw to (a base in 
   baseball)  1e1: to make provision for (a demand or charge) by means of a 
   reserve or d eposit 1e2: to maintain a check on esp. by patrolling  1e3: to 
   protect by contrivance or expedient  2a: to hide from sight or knowledge : 
   CONCEAL {~ up a scan dal} 2b: to lie over : ENVELOP  3: to lay or spread 
   something over : OVERLAY  4a: to spread over  4b: to appear here and there 
   on the surface of  5: to place or set a cover or covering over  6a: to 
   copulate with (a female) {a horse ~s a mare}  6b: to sit on and incubate 
   (eggs)  7: to invest with a large or excessive amount of something {~s)X 
   himself 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  
   10: to deal with : TREAT  11a: to have as one's territory or field of 
   activity  11b: to report news about  12: to pass over : TRAVERSE  13: to 
   place one's stake in equal jeopardy with in a bet  14: to buy securities or 
   commodities for delivery against (an earlier shor t sale) 1: to conceal 
   something illicit, blameworthy, or embarrassing from notice  {~ up for a 
   friend} 2: to act as a substitute or replacement during an absence  - 
   cov.er.er n
2. cover n often attrib  1: something that protects, shelters, or guards : 
   as  1a: natural shelter for an animal or the factors that provide such 
   shelter  1b1: a position or situation affording protection from enemy fire  
   1b2: the protection offered by airplanes in tactical support of a military  
   operation 2: something that is placed over or about another thing :  2a: 
   LID, TOP  2b: a binding or case for a book; also : the front or back of 
   such  a binding 2c: an overlay or outer layer esp. for protection  2d: a 
   tablecloth and the other table fittings  2e: ROOF  2f: a cloth used on a 
   bed  2g: something (as vegetation or snow) that covers the ground  2h: the 
   extent to which clouds obscure the sky  3: something that conceals or 
   obscures : SCREEN  4: an envelope or wrapper for mail