Definition of COVE

cove

Plural: coves

Noun

  • a small inlet
  • small or narrow cave in the side of a cliff or mountain
  • A hollow in a rock; a cave or cavern.
  • A concave vault or archway, especially the arch of a ceiling.
  • A small coastal inlet, especially one having high cliffs protecting vessels from prevailing winds; bight.
  • A strip of prairie extending into woodland.
  • A recess or sheltered area on the slopes of a mountain.
  • The wooden roof of the stern gallery of an old sailing warship.
  • A thin line, sometimes gilded, along a yacht's strake below deck level.
  • A valley between two ridges, especially one that, opening to the south and east, is protected by ridges on the north and west from common winter storm tracks.
  • A fellow; a man.
  • A friend; a mate.

Verb

Verb Forms: coved, coving, coves

  • To curve or arch over, forming a recess or hollow.
  • To arch over; to build in a hollow concave form; to make in the form of a cove.
  • Of a bird or other animal: to brood, cover, incubate, or sit over (eggs).

Examples

  • The player tried to ’COVE’ their tiles, hoping to hide their next strategic move in Scrabble.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English cove, from Old English cofa (“chamber; den”), from Proto-West Germanic *kobō, from Proto-Germanic *kubô. Cognate with German Koben, Swedish kova. This word has probably survived as long as it has due to its coincidental phonetic resemblance to the unrelated word English cave. Also unrelated to Spanish cueva, which itself is a cognate of cave.

Synonyms

covie, friend, man

Antonyms

blone, covess, enemy, mort, woman

Scrabble Score: 9

cove: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
cove: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
cove: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 11

cove: valid Words With Friends Word