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to cover

to cover

192 3.3
To go across an area or distance
  • verb
  • /ˈkʌvər/
translation icon : recorrer
  • First, previous studies covered a wide range of populations in various geographical locations.
  • cover an area
  • cover a distance
  • cover a region

So mercas pretium, they're covering the same ground.

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Examples

  • I'm just going to cover this area here.

  • So those years seem to to cover a long, long period.

  • OK, so it took an entire month to cover half the lake, Correct.

  • Give me enough men to cover these two schools.

  • We'll leave from San Francisco and begin by covering the West Coast.

    Academic text (2017)
  • That location changes on a regular basis, covering vast cycles of time.

  • Every inch of the village will be covered in surveillance.

  • We've gained the ability to really cover specific areas.

  • Disperse and explore: Many small robots cover more territory than a single large one.

    Academic text (2011)
  • It took us two hours to cover the ten miles of trail.

Synonyms

to cross
vsto cover
1.0

To go across something from one side to the other

means traveling across or extending rather than meeting or intersecting
to extend
vsto cover
680 3.2

To make something reach farther, such as more places or people

describes moving across or extending over distance or time, not causing it
to spread
vsto cover
664 1.6

To put a thin layer over a surface

expresses movement or extension across distance or time, not only surface layering
to sweep
vsto cover
127 2.3

To extend across a large area or long distance

refers to travel or extension without stressing breadth
to get over
vsto cover
100 3.3

Move across something like a river or mountain

describes travel or extension without implying overcoming an obstacle
to span
vsto cover
  • Specialized
98 3.4

To stretch across an area or period of time

focuses on continuing over distance or time rather than linking points
to encompass
vsto cover
87 5.1

To include a wide range of things or people

refers to moving across or extending over distance or time, not including abstract ranges
to extend to
vsto cover
58 3.4

Reach up to a certain point or limit

refers to traveling or extending generally rather than ending at a limit
to cut through
vsto cover
51 3.0

To go straight across a place, for example through land or a crowd

means travel or extension without implying force or breaking a way
to pass over
vsto cover
26 3.3

To move across a place, often above the ground

describes travel or extension over distance or time without implying height
to spread over
vsto cover
17 3.6

Form a layer across a surface, like fog or icing

means travel across or extend over distance or period rather than laying out
to traverse
vsto cover
16 5.6

To move across land or water from one side to the other

emphasizes extending over distance or time rather than motion
to straddle
vsto cover
13 5.0

To reach across an area so parts are on both sides

is about traveling or continuous extension rather than sitting on both sides
to cut across
vsto cover
8 3.2

To go through a place like a park to make a shorter route

describes general travel or extension, not specifically a shortcut
to enfold
vsto cover
6 5.6

To cover something completely, as if by a blanket or mist

means moving across or extending over space or time, not enclosing fully
to grow over
vsto cover
4 3.5

To spread over something and cover it, as moss or vines do

is about travel or extension across distance or time, not biological spreading
to stretch along
vsto cover
2 4.2

To continue for a long distance along a narrow area

is about travel or extension generally, not limited to narrow shapes
to overspread
vsto cover
1 7.1

Move across a surface and cover it, like mist or color

focuses on traveling or extending over distance or time, not surface occupation
to enwrap
vsto cover
1 8.0

To cover something completely, often by surrounding it with cloth or paper

focuses on traveling or extending across areas or periods, not wrapping
to spread-eagle
vsto cover
7.6

To stretch across a large area

is about travel or extension across distance or time, not dramatic display

Antonyms

1.0

To stay in the same place or state and not change

to stay put
  • Informal
133 2.0

Remain in the same place without moving

Idioms

to cover one's ass
  • Offensive
32 9.8

To take steps to protect yourself from blame, often by keeping records or blaming others

To deal with a larger area or more topics

Decide something about a person or thing by how they look

Phrasal Verbs

314 3.7

To hide something so people cannot see or find out about it

to cover for
  • Informal
156 4.4

To do or say something to hide someone's bad action

69 3.4

To move to a place that protects you from danger or bad weather

To come out of hiding into the open

To read every page of a book or magazine from start to finish

Compounds

cover-up
  • Literature
137 5.5

An attempt to hide a crime or scandal from the public

cover letter
  • Formal
16 3.5

A short letter you send with a job application to introduce yourself and say why you fit the job

15 3.4

The amount of sky covered by clouds

10 3.8

An attractive woman whose photo is on a magazine's front cover

air cover
  • Jargon
9 5.0

Military aircraft protect soldiers or ships from enemy attack during an operation

7 3.9

An extra fee each person pays to enter a restaurant or club, not for food and drink

A heavy round metal lid that covers an opening in a street or pavement

4 3.7

Plants that grow low and spread over soil to protect it in gardens

cover crop
  • Specialized
3 4.1

A crop grown to protect and improve soil

2 3.4

A new recording or performance of a song originally sung by another artist

2 5.9

A young man who appears on a magazine front cover as a fashion model

A new recording of a song that another artist made popular

A removable cloth or plastic layer that protects a mattress from dirt and spills

1 1.0

A large cloth that lies on top of a bed to protect it and make it look nice

An object placed over something to keep it safe from damage

cover plate
  • Specialized
1 4.8

A flat hard plate that closes an opening to protect the parts inside

1 3.1

A removable cover, often plastic or cloth, that protects machines like a printer from dust when not in use

1 3.0

A removable cap that protects a camera lens from dust and scratches

1 3.3

A book with thin, flexible paper on the outside rather than a hard cover

cover slip
  • Specialized
5.3

A small thin glass piece placed over a sample on a microscope slide to protect it and aid viewing

cover glass
  • Specialized
4.8

A thin flat piece of glass placed over a specimen on a microscope slide

cover glass
  • Specialized
3.4

A hard outer layer of glass that protects a device screen from scratches and drops

cover-slut
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who often makes new versions of other people's songs or who loves cover bands

A paper cover on a book that protects it and shows the title and author

A large cloth put over furniture to keep off dust

A material like carpet or wood placed on the floor to protect it and make it look nicer

A cardboard or paper sleeve that protects a vinyl record

A book with a flexible paper cover instead of a hard cover

How Far

to traverse
16 5.6
to cover
192 3.3
to cross
1.0
to span
  • Specialized
98 3.4
reach
161 3.0

Surface Forms

cover infinitive
covered past
covered past participle
covering present participle
covers third person singular

Etymology

Cover meaning to travel over a distance comes from the same basic idea of 'moving across' or 'spanning' an area, so to cover ten kilometres is to go across that distance.