Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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.

   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.

Cover \Cov"er\, v. i.
   To spread a table for a meal; to prepare a banquet. [Obs.]
   --Shak.

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.

   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.

Source : WordNet®

cover
     v 1: provide with a covering or cause to be covered; "cover her
          face with a handkerchief"; "cover the child with a
          blanket"; "cover the grave with flowers" [ant: {uncover}]
     2: form a cover over; "The grass covered the grave" [syn: {spread
        over}]
     3: span an interval of distance, space or time; "The war
        extended over five years"; "The period covered the turn of
        the century"; "My land extends over the hills on the
        horizon"; "This farm covers some 200 acres" [syn: {extend}]
     4: provide for; "The grant doesn't cover my salary"
     5: deal with verbally or in some form of artistic expression;
        "This book deals with incest"; "The course covered all of
        Western Civilization"; "The new book treats the history of
        China" [syn: {treat}, {handle}, {plow}, {deal}, {address}]
     6: include in scope; include as part of something broader; have
        as one's sphere or territory; "This group encompasses a
        wide range of people from different backgrounds"; "this
        should cover everyone in the group" [syn: {embrace}, {encompass},
         {comprehend}]
     7: travel across or pass over; "The caravan covered almost 100
        miles each day" [syn: {traverse}, {track}, {cross}, {pass
        over}, {get over}, {get across}, {cut through}, {cut
        across}]
     8: be responsible for reporting the details of, as in
        journalism; "Snow reported on China in the 1950's"; "The
        cub reporter covered New York City" [syn: {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" [syn: {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" [syn:
          {insure}, {underwrite}]
     15: make up for shortcomings or a feeling of inferiority by
         exaggerating good qualities; "he is compensating for
         being a bad father" [syn: {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
         his 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; "The origins of this civilization
         are shrouded in mystery" [syn: {shroud}, {enshroud}, {hide}]
     21: copulate with a female, used especially of horses; "The
         horse covers the mare" [syn: {breed}]
     22: put something on top of something else; "cover the meat with
         a lot of gravy" [syn: {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); "Birds brood"; "The female covers the eggs"
         [syn: {brood}, {hatch}, {incubate}]
     26: clothe, as if for protection from the elements; "cover your
         head!" [syn: {wrap up}]

cover
     n 1: a covering that serves to conceal or shelter something;
          "they crouched behind the screen"; "under cover of
          darkness" [syn: {screen}, {covert}, {concealment}]
     2: bedding that keeps a person warm in bed; "he pulled the
        covers over his head and went to sleep" [syn: {blanket}]
     3: the act of concealing the existence of something by
        obstructing the view of it; "the cover concealed their
        guns from enemy aircraft" [syn: {covering}, {screening}, {masking}]
     4: the front and back covering of a book; "the book had a
        leather binding" [syn: {binding}, {book binding}, {back}]
     5: a natural object that covers or envelops; "under a covering
        of dust"; "the fox was flushed from its cover" [syn: {covering},
         {natural covering}]
     6: covering for a hole (especially a hole in the top of a
        container); "he removed the top of the carton"; "he
        couldn't get the top off of the bottle"; "put the cover
        back on the kettle" [syn: {top}]
     7: fire that makes it difficult for the enemy to fire on your
        own individuals or formations; "artillery provided
        covering fire for the withdrawal" [syn: {covering fire}]
     8: a fixed charge by a restaurant or night club over and above
        the charge for food and drink [syn: {cover charge}]
     9: a recording of a song that was first recorded or made
        popular by somebody else; "they made a cover of a Beatles'
        song" [syn: {cover version}, {cover song}]
     10: a false identity and background (especially one created for
         an undercover agent); "her new name and passport are
         cover for her next assignment"