Cover v. t. (past & past part. covered; pres. part. covering) 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." "All that beauty than doth cover thee."
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."
4.To hide sight; to conceal; to cloak; as, the enemy were covered from our sight by the woods. "A cloud covered the mount." "In vain shou striv'st to cover shame with shame."
5.To brood or sit on; to incubate. "While the hen is covering her eggs, the male... diverts her with his songs."
6.To overwhelm; to spread over. "The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen."
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."
8.To remove from remembrance; to put away; to remit. "Blessed is he whose is covered."
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."
11.To copulate with (a female); to serve; as, a horse covers a mare; said of the male.
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.
Synonyms: To shelter; screen; shield; hide; overspread.
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