cover vs dress

cover

noun
  • 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. 

  • 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 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. 

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

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

dress

noun
  • The external covering of an animal (for example, the feathers of a bird) or an object. 

  • The external appearance of something, especially if intended to give a positive impression; garb, guise. 

  • Apparel or clothing, especially when appropriate for a particular occasion, profession, etc. 

  • An item of clothing (usually worn by a woman or young girl) which both covers the upper part of the body and includes a skirt below the waist. 

  • The appearance of an object after it has undergone some process or treatment to fit or prepare it for use; finish. 

verb
  • To ornament (a ship) by hoisting the national colours at the peak and mastheads, and setting the jack forward; when "dressed full", the signal flags and pennants are added. 

  • To prepare (food) for cooking or eating, especially by seasoning it; specifically, to add a dressing or sauce (to food, especially a salad). 

  • To attire oneself for a particular (especially formal) occasion, or in a fashionable manner. 

  • To prepare (a set) by installing the props, scenery, etc. 

  • To attire (oneself or someone) for a particular (especially formal) occasion, or in a fashionable manner. 

  • To prepare, treat, or curry (animal hide or leather). 

  • To prepare the surface of (a material, usually lumber or stone). 

  • Of a sportsperson: to put on the uniform and have the equipment needed to play a sport. 

  • To prepare (an artificial fly) to be attached to a fish hook. 

  • Of a thing: to attain a certain condition after undergoing some process or treatment to fit or prepare it for use. 

  • To arrange a display of goods in, or to decorate (a shop or shop window). 

  • To arrange or style (someone's hair). 

  • To cultivate or tend to (a garden, land, plants, etc.); especially, to add fertilizer or manure to (soil); to fertilize, to manure. 

  • To fit or prepare (something) for use; to render (something) suitable for an intended purpose; to get ready. 

  • To put clothes (or, formerly, armour) on (oneself or someone, a doll, a mannequin, etc.); to clothe. 

  • To remove chaff or impurities from (flour, grain, etc.) by bolting or sifting, winnowing, and other methods. 

  • To cut up (an animal or its flesh) for food; specifically (hunting), to remove the internal organs (of a game animal) shortly after it has been killed so that the carcass cools more quickly; to field dress. 

  • To design, make, or prepare costumes (for a play or other performance); also, to present (a production) in a particular costume style. 

  • To apply a dressing to or otherwise treat (a wound); (obsolete) to give (a wounded person) medical aid. 

  • To arrange (soldiers or troops) into proper formation; especially, to adjust (soldiers or troops) into straight lines and at a proper distance from each other; to align. 

  • To put on clothes. 

  • To allow one's penis to fall to one side or the other within one's trousers. 

  • To design, make, provide, or select clothes (for someone). 

  • Of soldiers or troops: to arrange into proper formation; especially, to form into straight lines and at a proper distance from each other. 

  • To adorn or ornament (something). 

  • Of an animal carcass: to have a certain quantity or weight after removal of the internal organs and skin; also, to have a certain appearance after being cut up and prepared for cooking. 

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