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 coverground 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.