1. A place that covers and protects; a shelter; a defense.
A tabernacle . . . for a covert from storm.
Is. iv. 6.
The highwayman has darted from his covered by the wayside.
Prescott.
2. [Cf. F. couverte.] (Zoöl.) One of the special feathers covering the bases of the quills of the wings
and tail of a bird. See Illust. of Bird.
Covert baron
(Cov"ert bar`on) (Law) Under the protection of a husband; married. Burrill.
Covertly
(Cov"ert*ly), adv. Secretly; in private; insidiously.
Covertness
(Cov"ert*ness) n. Secrecy; privacy. [R.]
Coverture
(Cov"er*ture) n. [OF. coverture,F. couverture.]
1. Covering; shelter; defense; hiding.
Protected by walls or other like coverture.
Woodward.
Beatrice, who even now
Is couched in the woodbine coverture.
Shak.
2. (Law) The condition of a woman during marriage, because she is considered under the cover, influence,
power, and protection of her husband, and therefore called a feme covert, or femme couverte.
Covet
(Cov"et) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Covered; p. pr. & vb. n. Coveting.] [OF. coveitier, covoitier, F.
convoiter, from a derivative fr. L. cupere to desire; cf. Skr. kup to become excited. Cf. Cupidity.]
1. To wish for with eagerness; to desire possession of; — used in a good sense.
Covet earnestly the best gifts.
1. Cor. xxii. 31.
If it be a sin to covet honor,
I am the most offending soul alive.
Shak.
2. To long for inordinately or unlawfully; to hanker after
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.
Ex. xx. 17.
Syn. — To long for; desire; hanker after; crave.
Covet
(Cov"et), v. i. To have or indulge inordinate desire.
Which [money] while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith.
1 Tim. vi. 10.
Covetable
(Cov"et*a*ble) a. That may be coveted; desirable.
Coveter
(Cov"et*er) n. One who covets.
Covetise
(Cov"et*ise) n. [OF. coveitise, F. convoitise. See Covet, v. t. ] Avarice. [Obs.] Spenser.
Covetiveness
(Cov"et*ive*ness) n. (Phren.) Acquisitiveness.
Covetous
(Cov"et*ous) a. [OF. coveitos, F. convoiteux. See Covet, v. t.]
