To cover something means to put something over or on top of it, like covering your bed with a blanket or covering a pot with a lid. When you cover something, you're usually hiding it, protecting it, or keeping something in or out. You might cover your face with your hands during a scary movie, or cover a bowl of leftovers with plastic wrap so it stays fresh.

The word has several other related meanings. In journalism, to cover a story means to investigate and report on it: a reporter might cover the local election or cover a flood in a nearby town. In sports, to cover an opposing player means to guard them closely so they can't score easily. Musicians cover songs when they perform someone else's song in their own style.

You might also hear people use cover in phrases like taking cover (finding shelter or protection) or covering your tracks (hiding evidence of what you've done, often something you shouldn't have done). When someone promises to cover for you, they're agreeing to hide your absence or mistake, usually by making an excuse.

As a noun, a cover is something that goes over or around something else, like a book cover or a pot cover.

The word can even mean “to include” or “to deal with”: a textbook might cover fractions and decimals, meaning those topics are explained inside. When something is enough to handle a situation, we say it covers it: if you have $20 and the book costs $15, you have enough money to cover the cost.