in a position higher than and sometimes covering something
A bright lamp hangs over the dining table.
She held an umbrella over the child to keep him dry.
across from one side of something to the other
We drove over the bridge at sunset.
The children ran over the field to meet their friends.
finished; no longer happening or existing
The movie is over—let’s go home.
When the storm was over, a rainbow appeared.
during the whole time of something
We stayed with our grandparents over the holidays.
He learned basic Spanish over the summer.
more than a particular number, amount, or age
The concert attracted over 5,000 fans.
Children over twelve must buy an adult ticket.
used in radio communication to show that you have finished speaking and are waiting for a reply
“Base, this is Ranger One, request clearance to land, over.”
“Copy that. We’ll meet at checkpoint Bravo at 0600, over.”
to act superior to someone and make them feel less important
She always lords it over her coworkers when she gets a promotion.
Stop lording it over me just because you can drive.
✦ From the noun "lord", carrying the idea of someone acting as a master over others.
to put something over or around something else to protect, hide, or keep it safe
She covered the sleeping baby with a soft blanket.
Please cover the pot so the soup stays hot.
✦ Old English “coferian” and “cuferian,” from Latin “cooperire” meaning “to put something over,” later simplified in Middle English to “cover.”
the outside page of a book or magazine
The novel’s cover shows a lighthouse during a storm.
He tore the cover off his notebook by accident.
✦ First recorded for books in the late 15th century when bound boards literally ‘covered’ the pages.
to do someone else's work or duty for a short time
Could you cover the reception desk while I grab lunch?
I covered for Sam during his vacation last week.
✦ From the idea of ‘covering’ a gap left by an absent person, recorded since the early 1900s.
