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.
2. To envelop; to clothe, as with a
mantle or cloak.
And with the majesty of darkness round
Covers his throne.
Milton.
All that beauty than doth cover thee.
Shak.
3. To invest (one's self with
something); to bring upon (one's self); as, he covered
himself with glory.
The powers that covered themselves with
everlasting infamy by the partition of Poland.
Brougham.
4. To hide sight; to conceal; to cloak;
as, the enemy were covered from our sight by the
woods.
A cloud covered the mount.
Exod. xxiv. 15.
In vain shou striv'st to cover shame with
shame.
Milton.
5. To brood or sit on; to
incubate.
While the hen is covering her eggs, the
male . . . diverts her with his songs.
Addison.
6. To overwhelm; to spread over.
The waters returned and covered the
chariots and the horsemen.
Ex. xiv. 28.
7. To shelter, as from evil or danger; to
protect; to defend; as, the cavalry covered the
retreat.
His calm and blameless life
Does with substantial blessedness abound,
And the soft wings of peace cover him round.
Cowley.
8. To remove from remembrance; to put
away; to remit. "Blessed is he whose is covered."
Ps. xxxii. 1.
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.
10. To put the usual covering or
headdress on.
Cover thy head . . . ; nay, prithee, be
covered.
Shak.
11. To copulate with (a female); to
serve; as, a horse covers a mare; -- said of the
male.
To cover ground or
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.
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.
2. Anything which veils or conceals; a
screen; disguise; a cloak. "Under cover of the
night." Macaulay.
A handsome cover for imperfections.
Collier.
3. Shelter; protection; as, the troops
fought under cover of the batteries; the woods afforded a
good cover.
Being compelled to lodge in the field . . . whilst
his army was under cover, they might be forced to
retire.
Clarendon.
4. (Hunting) The woods,
underbrush, etc., which shelter and conceal game; covert; as, to
beat a cover; to ride to cover.
5. That portion of a slate, tile, or shingle,
which is hidden by the overlap of the course above.
Knight.
6. (Steam Engine) The lap of a
slide valve.
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.
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.
Letters . . . dispatched under cover to her
ladyship.
Thackeray.
Cov"er, v. i. To spread a
table for a meal; to prepare a banquet. [Obs.]
Shak.