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Glite Dictionary
air cover

air cover

9 5.0
Military aircraft protect soldiers or ships from enemy attack during an operation
  • noun
  • /ɛr ˈkʌvər/
  • Jargon
translation icon : cobertura aérea
  • We're supposed to have Allied air cover and we don't.
  • provide air cover
  • need air cover
  • air cover mission

But for you to say it, you have so much more air cover than I do.

Examples

  • Without air cover, the anti-Castro force's ships are attacked.

    The Good Shepherd (2006)

  • All remaining Blackhawks, provide air cover.

    Olympus Has Fallen (2013)

  • We can be in range of air cover in 24 hours.

    Greyhound (2020)

  • We need air cover down here now!

    Transformers (2007)

  • I can't guarantee air cover after that.

    For the Boys (1991)

  • We've been given the frag order to provide air cover for the landing.

    Red Tails (2012)

  • 1,500 men had been dumped on a shore without air cover or protective fire from ships.

    The Irishman (2019)

  • Thus, the air force provided air cover to the attacking ground troops in addition to other support missions, while the navy engaged in limited shelling of the Karachi harbor to divert Pakistani troops from the invading Indian ground forces.

    Academic text (1999)

  • The military aircraft provided air cover during the operation to ensure the safety of the ground troops.

  • During the invasion, the forces relied on air cover to protect them from enemy attacks.

Synonyms

air support
vsair cover
35 4.1

Aircraft that help soldiers on the ground during fighting

focuses on protection of forces specifically rather than general combat assistance
umbrella
vsair cover
  • Jargon
7 7.4

A group of military planes that fly above and protect soldiers on the ground

is the broader use of aircraft to protect forces rather than a fixed formation

How Protective

air cover
  • Jargon
9 5.0
close support
  • Specialized
1 7.3
air support
35 4.1
air reconnaissance
  • Specialized
5.4

Surface Forms

air cover singular
air covers plural

Morphology

air + cover

The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'air' (aviation/aircraft) and 'cover' (to protect): the phrase denotes protection provided by aircraft and follows a straightforward noun–noun composition. This concept is common cross-linguistically (e.g., Spanish 'cobertura aérea', French 'couverture aérienne'), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Air cover comes from wars when air planes flew above troops to protect them, acting like a cover or roof against enemy attacks. That's why air cover means 'protection by aircraft'.