cover up meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

cover up

verbalso spelled cover-up

Idiomatic To conceal or disguise.

The politician tried to cover up his involvement in the scandal.
Even when [the mechanics] didn't know how to fix everything, they never cheated anybody or covered up. So over the years they kept learning new makes and new techniques, and now can repair about anything.1980, “Best of Boston”, in Real Paper:

1 more example

TransPennine Express has removed all QR codes from its 71 car parks after scammers covered up a genuine code sticker with a false one and stole £13,000 from a woman's bank account.2023 December 13, “Network News: £13,000 stolen via car park QR”, in RAIL, number 998, page 11:

Idiomatic To clothe; to conceal one's private parts.

Idiomatic To put covers over oneself in bed.

noun

US /ˈkʌvɚˌʌp/

Etymology Deverbal from cover up.

An attempt to conceal or disguise something, especially a wrongdoing or a mistake.

Truthfulness means no lies and no cover-ups. Compassion means being kind and helpful to others. Forbearance means being able to tolerate and suffer, and not fight back.
[War metaphors] are used, either consciously or unconsciously, for specific effect and purpose. They are used, not so much as descriptions, but rather to convey additional moral, imaginative or judgmental information. The ubiquitous "war between the sexes" is, in fact, a cover-up of the fact that men, generally, have social power over women.1991 February 4, Michael Bronski, “Are We Having A War, Or What?”, in Gay Community News, volume 18, number 28, page 9:

3 more examples

Mona: Oh, of course, a cover-up! You know, the whole town would panic if they knew a misunderstood Frankensteinosaurus was on a bloodthirsty rampage! Your secret's safe, Officer. I don't want to cause an international panic any more than you do.1999, Mona the Vampire, "Jurassic Parking Lot" (season 1, episode 3b)
These divine qualities migrated to Mary because of deficiencies in the theology of God, in Christology and in pneumatology. It makes no lasting sense to retain this as a permanent status quo, using Mary as a cover-up for defective notions of the divine.2000 June 17, Elizabeth A. Johnson, “Mary of Nazareth: Friend of God and Prophet”, in America, volume 182, number 21:
Many supporters believed Donald Trump would finally expose government cover-ups once he returned to power. But more than six months into his new term, those much-hyped conspiracy theories have either been debunked or quietly fallen apart.2025 July 10, Jesus Mesa, “'We've Been Played': MAGA Faces Its Own Disappointment With Trump”, in Newsweek:

An item of clothing to be worn over a swimsuit while not in the water.

The women usually wore bikini tops with shorts, swimsuits underneath cover-ups or just swimsuits. Men came in various types of trunks, from traditional boxers, to Speedos, to G-string trunks that showcased their packages.2013, Velvet Carter, Blissfully Yours, page 93: