cover-up
any action, stratagem, or other means of concealing or preventing investigation or exposure.
Also cov·er·up . any of various women's garments, as loose blouses, jump suits, caftans, or sarongs, worn over a swimsuit, exercise clothing, or the like.
Origin of cover-up
1Words Nearby cover-up
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use cover-up in a sentence
He turned a young girl into a hooker—and then enlisted his mother to cover up the evidence.
He was old, frail and handcuffed; 20 minutes later they had a crime to cover up.
But, as is often the case, what may be equally as damning as the crime will be the cover-up.
The Castration of Alan Turing, Britain’s Code-Breaking WWII Hero | Clive Irving | November 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHe's never dyed it, and he doesn't wear make-up in his films, unless he has a zit to cover up.
Women have long been told to cover up their sexy parts, as the world ogles them, sometimes to aggressive extremes.
There were infinite possibilities for "the greaser" to pocket a goodly share of the profits, and "cover up his tracks."
Ancestors | Gertrude AthertonWildly and vainly did he strive even then to cover up the foolish thing that he had done.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael SabatiniAn untruth is passed over carelessly and the child allowed to cover up its sins without realizing their sinfulness.
The value of a praying mother | Isabel C. Byrum"It makes me think of spectres and shrieking ghosts," said Robbie, as he drew the cover up closer, and cuddled down by Clifford.
A Fortune Hunter; Or, The Old Stone Corral | John Dunloe CarteretBut the minute he heard her comin'—and he could hear her a mile—he'd cover up his knowledge again.
A Yankee from the West | Opie Read
British Dictionary definitions for cover-up
concealment or attempted concealment of a mistake, crime, etc
(tr) to cover completely
(when intr, often foll by for) to attempt to conceal (a mistake or crime): she tried to cover up for her friend
(intr) boxing to defend the body and head with the arms
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with cover-up
Wrap up or enfold in order to protect. For example, Be sure to cover up the outdoor furniture in case of rain, or It's cold, so be sure to cover up the baby. [Late 1800s]
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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