attack vs cover

attack

verb
  • To deal with something in a direct way; to set to work upon. 

  • To begin to affect; to act upon injuriously or destructively; to begin to decompose or waste. 

  • To bat aggressively, so as to score runs quickly. 

  • To aim balls at the batsman’s wicket. 

  • To aggressively challenge a person, idea, etc., with words (particularly in newspaper headlines, because it typesets into less space than "criticize" or similar). 

  • (Of a chemical species) To approach a chemical species or bond in order to form a bond with it. 

  • To apply violent force to someone or something. 

  • To set a field, or bowl in a manner designed to get wickets. 

  • To accelerate quickly in an attempt to get ahead of the other riders. 

  • To move forward in an active attempt to score a point, as opposed to trying not to concede. 

noun
  • Any contact with the ball other than a serve or block which sends the ball across the plane of the net. 

  • The amount of time it takes for the volume of an audio signal to go from zero to maximum level (e.g. an audio waveform representing a snare drum hit would feature a very fast attack, whereas that of a wave washing to shore would feature a slow attack). 

  • An attempt to detract from the worth or credibility of, a person, position, idea, object, or thing, by physical, verbal, emotional, or other assault. 

  • The three attackmen on the field or all the attackmen of a team. 

  • A time in which one attacks; the offence of a battle. 

  • The beginning of active operations on anything. 

  • The sudden onset of a disease or condition. 

  • An attempt to cause damage, injury to, or death of opponent or enemy. 

  • Collectively, the bowlers of a cricket side. 

  • An attempt to exploit a vulnerability in a computer system. 

  • The onset of a musical note, particularly with respect to the strength (and duration) of that onset. 

  • An active episode of a chronic or recurrent disease. 

cover

verb
  • To deal with or include someone or something. 

  • To make a cover version of (a song that was originally recorded by another artist). 

  • To defend (mark) a particular player or area. 

  • To discuss thoroughly; to provide coverage of. 

  • To set upon all of, so as to completely conceal. 

  • To be upon all of, so as to completely conceal. 

  • To provide insurance coverage for. 

  • To traverse or put behind a certain distance. 

  • To act as a replacement. 

  • To be enough money for. 

  • To invest (oneself with something); to bring upon (oneself). 

  • To have as an assignment or responsibility. 

  • To protect using an aimed firearm and the threat of firing; or to protect using continuous, heaving fire at or in the direction of the enemy so as to force the enemy to remain in cover; or to threaten using an aimed firearm. 

  • To be over or upon, as to conceal or protect. 

  • To place something over or upon, as to conceal or protect. 

  • To extend over a given period of time or range, to occupy, to stretch over a given area. 

  • To copulate with (said of certain male animals such as dogs and horses). 

  • To protect or control (a piece or square). 

noun
  • The top sheet of a bed. 

  • A persona maintained by a spy or undercover operative; cover story. 

  • The front and back of a book, magazine, CD package, etc. 

  • A cloth or similar material, often fitted, placed over an item such as a car or sofa or food to protect it from dust, rain, insects, etc. when not being used. 

  • A collection (or family) of subsets of a given set, whose union contains every element of said original set. 

  • Area or situation which screens a person or thing from view. 

  • An envelope complete with stamps and postmarks etc. 

  • A solid object, including terrain, that provides protection from enemy fire. 

  • The portion of a slate, tile, or shingle that is hidden by the overlap of the course above. 

  • An insurance contract; coverage by an insurance contract. 

  • A setting at a restaurant table or formal dinner. 

  • A new performance or rerecording of a previously recorded song; a cover version; a cover song. 

  • The distance between reinforcing steel and the exterior of concrete. 

  • A fielding position on the off side, between point and mid off, about 30° forward of square; a fielder in this position. 

  • A cover charge. 

  • In a steam engine, the lap of a slide valve. 

  • A lid. 

  • In commercial law, a buyer’s purchase on the open market of goods similar or identical to the goods contracted for after a seller has breached a contract of sale by failure to deliver the goods contracted for. 

adj
  • Of, pertaining to, or consisting of cover versions. 

  • Of or pertaining to the front cover of a book or magazine. 

How often have the words attack and cover occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )