cover vs poke

cover

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

  • 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 deal with or include someone or something. 

  • 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 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. 

poke

verb
  • To put a poke (device to prevent leaping or breaking fences) on (an animal). 

  • To notify (another user) of activity on social media or an instant messenger. 

  • To thrust at with the horns; to gore. 

  • To stir up a fire to remove ash or promote burning. 

  • To thrust (something) in a particular direction such as the tongue. 

  • To prod or jab with an object such as a finger or a stick. 

  • To rummage; to feel or grope around. 

  • To penetrate in sexual intercourse. 

noun
  • An old, worn-out horse. 

  • An ice cream cone. 

  • A lazy person; a dawdler. 

  • 1605, William Camden, Remaines Concerning Brittaine, 1629 edition, Proverbes, page 276 

  • 1627, Michael Drayton, Minor Poems of Michael Drayton, 1907 edition, poem Nimphidia 

  • A notification sent to get another user's attention on social media or an instant messenger. 

  • A hit, especially an extra base hit. 

  • A sack or bag. 

  • A stupid or uninteresting person. 

  • A long, wide sleeve. 

  • A prod, jab, or thrust. 

  • 1814, September 4, The Examiner, volume 13, number 349, article French Fashions, page 573 

  • A poke bonnet. 

  • 2008, James Kelman, Kieron Smith, Boy, Penguin 2009, page 138 

  • Pokeweed. 

  • Slices or cubes of raw fish or other raw seafood, mixed with sesame oil, seaweed, sea salt, herbs, spices, or other flavorful ingredients. 

  • A device to prevent an animal from leaping or breaking through fences, consisting of a yoke with a pole inserted, pointed forward. 

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