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- cover for
cover for
cover for someone
1. to make excuses for someone; to conceal someone's errors. If I miss class, please cover for me. If you're late, I'll cover for you.
2. to handle someone else's work. Dr. Johnson's partner agreed to cover for him during his vacation.
cover someone or something for something
[for an insurer] to provide protection to someone or something for a particular price. One company will cover the car for about a thousand dollars. This policy covers you for a few dollars a week.
cover (up) for someone
to conceal someone's wrongdoing by lying or concealing the evidence of wrongdoing. Are you covering up for the person who committed the crime? I wouldn't cover for anyone.
cover for
1. Also,
cover up for. Conceal a wrongdoing or wrongdoer, as in
Bill was supposed to be on duty but went to a ballgame and Alan agreed to cover for him or
I covered up for my friend when her mother called to find out where she was. [1960s] Also see
cover up, def. 2.
2. Substitute for someone, act on someone's behalf, as in Mary was asked to cover for Joe while he was on jury duty. [c. 1970]
3. cover for something. Provide protection against some hazard, as in This policy covers the house for fire but not for theft. This idiom employs the verb to cover in the sense of "protect" or "shield," a usage dating from the 13th century.