co v|er charge (cover charges ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A cover charge is a sum of money that you must pay in some restaurants and nightclubs in addition to the money that you pay there for your food and drink.
cov|ered /kʌ və r d/ ADJ [ADJ n] A covered area is an area that has a roof. □ There are 40 shops, cafes and restaurants in a covered mall.
co v|ered wa g|on (covered wagons ) N‑COUNT A covered wagon is a wagon that has an arched canvas roof and is pulled by horses. Covered wagons were used by the early American settlers as they travelled across the country.
co v|er girl (cover girls ) N‑COUNT A cover girl is an attractive woman whose photograph appears on the front of a magazine.
cov|er|ing /kʌ vər I ŋ/ (coverings ) N‑COUNT A covering is a layer of something that protects or hides something else. □ [+ of ] Leave a thin covering of fat. □ Sawdust was used as a hygienic floor covering.
co v|er|ing le t|ter (covering letters ) N‑COUNT A covering letter is a letter that you send with a parcel or with another letter in order to provide extra information. [BRIT ] in AM, use cover letter
cov|er|let /kʌ və r l I t/ (coverlets ) N‑COUNT A coverlet is the same as a bedspread . [OLD-FASHIONED ]
co v|er le t|ter (cover letters ) N‑COUNT A cover letter is the same as a covering letter . [AM ]
cov|er|mount /kʌ və r maʊnt/ (covermounts ) N‑COUNT A covermount is a small gift attached to the front cover of a magazine.
co ver-mou nted also covermounted ADJ Cover-mounted items such as makeup and CDs are attached to the front of a magazine as free gifts. □ The first issue has a cover-mounted CD-ROM.
cov|ert /kʌ və r t, koʊ vɜː r t/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Covert activities or situations are secret or hidden. [FORMAL ] □ They have been supplying covert military aid to the rebels. ● cov|ert|ly ADV [usu ADV with v] □ He was arrested after being filmed covertly by the authorities.
co ver-up (cover-ups ) in AM, also use coverup N‑COUNT A cover-up is an attempt to hide a crime or mistake. □ General Schwarzkopf denied there'd been any cover-up.
co v|er ver|sion (cover versions ) N‑COUNT A cover version of a song is a version of it recorded by a singer or band who did not originally perform the song. □ …British cover versions of American hits.
cov|et /kʌ v I t/ (covets , coveting , coveted ) VERB If you covet something, you strongly want to have it for yourself. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] She coveted his job so openly that conversations between them were tense.
cov|et|ed /kʌ v I t I d/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] You use coveted to describe something that very many people would like to have. □ …one of sport's most coveted trophies. □ …a supply of highly-coveted hard currency.
cov|et|ous /kʌ v I təs/ ADJ A covetous person has a strong desire to possess something, especially something that belongs to another person. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ He has attracted covetous glances from England's biggest clubs.
cov|ey /kʌ vi/ (coveys ) N‑COUNT A covey of grouse or partridges is a small group of them.
cow ◆◇◇ /kaʊ / (cows , cowing , cowed )
1 N‑COUNT A cow is a large female animal that is kept on farms for its milk. People sometimes refer to male and female animals of this species as cows . □ Dad went out to milk the cows. □ …a herd of cows.
2 → see also cattle
3 N‑COUNT [oft N n] Some female animals, including elephants and whales, are called cows . □ …a cow elephant.
4 N‑COUNT If someone describes a woman as a cow , they dislike her and think that she is unpleasant or stupid. [INFORMAL , OFFENSIVE , DISAPPROVAL ]
5 VERB If someone is cowed , they are made afraid, or made to behave in a particular way because they have been frightened or badly treated. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed] The government, far from being cowed by these threats, has vowed to continue its policy. □ [V n + into ] …cowing them into submission. ● cowed ADJ □ [+ by ] By this time she was so cowed by the beatings that she meekly obeyed.
6 → see also mad cow disease , sacred cow
cow|ard /kaʊ ə r d/ (cowards ) N‑COUNT If you call someone a coward , you disapprove of them because they are easily frightened and avoid dangerous or difficult situations. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ She accused her husband of being a coward.
cow|ard|ice /kaʊ ə r d I s/ N‑UNCOUNT Cowardice is cowardly behaviour. □ He openly accused his opponents of cowardice.
cow|ard|ly /kaʊ ə r dli/ ADJ If you describe someone as cowardly , you disapprove of them because they are easily frightened and avoid doing dangerous and difficult things. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ I was too cowardly to complain. □ …a cowardly act of violence.
cow|bell /kaʊ bel/ (cowbells ) N‑COUNT A cowbell is a small bell that is hung around a cow's neck so that the ringing sound makes it possible to find the cow.
cow|boy /kaʊ bɔ I / (cowboys )
1 N‑COUNT A cowboy is a male character in a western. □ …cowboy films.
2 N‑COUNT A cowboy is a man employed to look after cattle in North America, especially in former times.
3 N‑COUNT [oft N n] You can refer to someone who runs a business as a cowboy if they run it dishonestly or are not experienced, skilful, or careful in their work. [BRIT , DISAPPROVAL ] □ We don't want to look like a bunch of cowboys.