cover vs shield

cover

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

  • 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). 

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. 

shield

verb
  • to protect from the influence of 

  • To protect, to defend. 

  • To shelter; to protect oneself. 

noun
  • A large expanse of exposed stable Precambrian rock. 

  • A wide and relatively low-profiled volcano, usually composed entirely of lava flows. 

  • Parts at the front and back of a vehicle which are meant to absorb the impact of a collision 

  • A broad piece of defensive armor, held in hand, formerly in general use in war, for the protection of the body. 

  • One who protects or defends. 

  • A spot resembling, or having the form of a shield. 

  • A sign or symbol, usually containing numbers and sometimes letters, identifying a highway route. 

  • A framework used to protect workmen in making an adit under ground, and capable of being pushed along as excavation progresses. 

  • The escutcheon or field on which are placed the bearings in coats of arms. 

  • A field of energy that protects or defends. 

  • In lichens, a hardened cup or disk surrounded by a rim and containing the fructification, or asci. 

  • A police badge. 

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