What is meant by cover?

The word cover has many meanings depending on context, but generally it means something that protects, conceals, includes, or deals with something else. As a noun, a cover can be a physical protective layer, such as a book cover that protects pages, a bed cover or blanket, a phone cover or case, a manhole cover that covers a hole, or a cover letter that accompanies a resume. In music and film, a cover is a new performance or version of an existing song or movie poster artwork that covers the original. In publishing, a magazine cover is the front page with headlines and images. As a verb, to cover means to place something over something else to protect or hide it, such as to cover a pot with a lid, to cover your eyes, or to cover furniture with a sheet. It also means to include or deal with, as in this insurance covers accidents, or the exam covers chapters one to five, or the reporter covers sports. In finance, to cover means to have enough money to pay for something, as in to cover a debt. In military and sports, to cover means to protect someone or provide defense. In insurance, coverage is protection provided. So cover is a versatile word that always involves the idea of extending over, protecting, or including something within a boundary or scope, whether physical or abstract, and its exact meaning is determined by surrounding words.