Cover vs. Case — What's the Difference?

To place something upon or over, so as to protect or conceal

An instance of a particular situation; an example of something occurring

To overlay or spread with something

An instance of a disease, injury, or problem

To put a cover or covering on

A legal action, especially one to be decided in a court of law

To hide or screen from view or knowledge; conceal. Often used with up

Any of the forms of a noun, adjective, or pronoun that express the semantic relation of the word to other words in the sentence

To do something that gains for (oneself) a quality or association

A container designed to hold or protect something

To be spread over the surface of

Each of the two forms, capital or minuscule, in which a letter of the alphabet may be written or printed.

To lie over or adhere to so as to protect or conceal

Surround in a material or substance

To extend over

Reconnoitre (a place) before carrying out a robbery

To travel or pass over

An instance or occurrence of a particular kind or category

To have as one's territory or sphere of work

An occurrence of a disease or disorder

To protect from loss. Used of insurance

A set of circumstances or a state of affairs; a situation

To take measures to prevent (oneself) from being held responsible for something

Actual fact; reality

To be enough to pay for or make up for

A question or problem; a matter

To have as a subject; deal with

A situation that requires investigation, especially by a formal or official body.

To be responsible for reporting the details of (an event or situation)

An action or a suit or just grounds for an action.

To apply to or take into account

The facts or evidence offered in support of a claim.

To protect by having within range or by firing a weapon

A set of reasons or supporting facts; an argument

To aim a firearm at

A person being assisted, treated, or studied, as by a physician, lawyer, or social worker.

To guard (an opponent playing offense).

(Informal) A peculiar or eccentric person; a character.

To defend (a position or area)

In traditional grammar, a distinct form of a noun, pronoun, or modifier that is used to express one or more particular syntactic relationships to other words in a sentence.

To match (an opponent's stake) in a wager.

Case In some varieties of generative grammar, the thematic or semantic role of a noun phrase as represented abstractly but not necessarily indicated overtly in surface structure. In such frameworks, nouns in English have Case even in the absence of inflectional case endings.

To purchase (stock that one has shorted).

A container; a receptacle

(Games) To play a higher-ranking card than (the one previously played).

A container with its contents.

To perform or record (music previously recorded or popularized by another)

A decorative or protective covering or cover.

To perform or record music first recorded or popularized by (another)

A set or pair

To copulate with (a female). Used especially of horses.

The frame or framework of a window, door, or stairway.

To spread over a surface to protect or conceal something

The surface or outer layer of a metal alloy.

To act as a substitute or replacement during someone's absence

A shallow compartmented tray for storing type or type matrices.

To hide something in order to save someone from censure or punishment

The form of a written, printed, or keyed letter that distinguishes it as being lowercase or uppercase

(Games) To play a higher card than the one previously played.

To put into or cover with a case; encase.

A lid or top.

(Slang) To examine carefully, as in planning a crime

A binding or outer part for a book or magazine.

An actual event, situation, or fact.

A bedcover.

A given condition or state.

A protective overlay, as for a mattress or furniture.

A piece of work, specifically defined within a profession.

Shelter or protection

(academia) An instance or event as a topic of study.

Strategic protection given by armed units during hostile action

(legal) A legal proceeding, lawsuit.

Something, such as vegetation, covering the surface of the ground.

(grammar) A specific inflection of a word (particularly a noun, pronoun, or adjective) depending on its function in the sentence.

Vegetation, such as underbrush, serving as protective concealment for wild animals.

Grammatical cases and their meanings taken either as a topic in general or within a specific language.

Something, such as darkness, that screens, conceals, or disguises.

(medicine) An instance of a specific condition or set of symptoms.

A false identity, especially for a spy.

(programming) A section of code representing one of the actions of a conditional switch.

An activity or organization that is used to conceal an illegal or secret activity

A box that contains or can contain a number of identical items of manufacture.

A layer of clouds obscuring the sky or ground.

A box, sheath, or covering generally.

A table setting for one person

A piece of luggage that can be used to transport an apparatus such as a sewing machine.

A cover charge.

An enclosing frame or casing.

An envelope or wrapper for mail.

A suitcase.

Funds sufficient to meet an obligation or secure against loss.

A piece of furniture, constructed partially of transparent glass or plastic, within which items can be displayed.

One who substitutes for another

The outer covering or framework of a piece of apparatus such as a computer.

(Music) A recording or performance of a song that was previously recorded or popularized by another.

A shallow tray divided into compartments or "boxes" for holding type, traditionally arranged in sets of two, the "upper case" (containing capitals, small capitals, accented) and "lower case" (small letters, figures, punctuation marks, quadrats, and spaces).

A lid.

The nature of a piece of alphabetic type, whether a “capital” (upper case) or “small” (lower case) letter.

(uncountable) Area or situation which screens a person or thing from view.

(poker slang) Four of a kind.

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

(US) A unit of liquid measure used to measure sales in the beverage industry, equivalent to 192 fluid ounces.

The top sheet of a bed.

(mining) A small fissure which admits water into the workings.

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 thin layer of harder metal on the surface of an object whose deeper metal is allowed to remain soft.

A cover charge.

A cardboard box that holds (usually 24) beer bottles or cans.

A setting at a restaurant table or formal dinner.

A counterfeit crown five-shilling coin.

(music) A new performance or rerecording of a previously recorded song; a cover version; a cover song.

(obsolete) to propose hypothetical cases

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

(transitive) To place (an item or items of manufacture) into a box, as in preparation for shipment.

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

(transitive) To cover or protect with, or as if with, a case; to enclose.

(philately) An envelope complete with stamps and postmarks etc.

To survey (a building or other location) surreptitiously, as in preparation for a robbery.

(military) A solid object, including terrain, that provides protection from enemy fire.

(poker slang) The last remaining card of a particular rank.

(legal) 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.

A box, sheath, or covering; as, a case for holding goods; a case for spectacles; the case of a watch; the case (capsule) of a cartridge; a case (cover) for a book.

(insurance) An insurance contract; coverage by an insurance contract.

A box and its contents; the quantity contained in a box; as, a case of goods; a case of instruments.

(espionage) A persona maintained by a spy or undercover operative; cover story.

A shallow tray divided into compartments or "boxes" for holding type.

(dated) A swindler's confederate.

An inclosing frame; a casing; as, a door case; a window case.

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

A small fissure which admits water to the workings.

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

Chance; accident; hap; opportunity.

(construction) The distance between reinforcing steel and the exterior of concrete.

That which befalls, comes, or happens; an event; an instance; a circumstance, or all the circumstances; condition; state of things; affair; as, a strange case; a case of injustice; the case of the Indian tribes.

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

A patient under treatment; an instance of sickness or injury; as, ten cases of fever; also, the history of a disease or injury.

(music) Of, pertaining to, or consisting of cover versions.

The matters of fact or conditions involved in a suit, as distinguished from the questions of law; a suit or action at law; a cause.

(transitive) To place something over or upon, as to conceal or protect.

One of the forms, or the inflections or changes of form, of a noun, pronoun, or adjective, which indicate its relation to other words, and in the aggregate constitute its declension; the relation which a noun or pronoun sustains to some other word.

(transitive) To be over or upon, as to conceal or protect.

To cover or protect with, or as with, a case; to inclose.

(transitive) To be upon all of, so as to completely conceal.

To strip the skin from; as, to case a box.

(transitive) To set upon all of, so as to completely conceal.

To propose hypothetical cases.

To put on one's hat.

A comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy;

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

An occurrence of something;

(of a publication) To discuss thoroughly; to provide coverage of.

A special set of circumstances;

To deal with or include someone or something.

A problem requiring investigation;

To be enough money for.

The actual state of things;

(intransitive) To act as a replacement.

A statement of facts and reasons used to support an argument;

(transitive) To have as an assignment or responsibility.

A portable container for carrying several objects;

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

A person who is subjected to experimental or other observational procedures; someone who is an object of investigation;

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.

A person requiring professional services;

To provide insurance coverage for.

The quantity contained in a case

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

A glass container used to store and display items in a shop or museum or home

To protect or control (a piece or square).

A specific state of mind that is temporary;

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

Nouns or pronouns or adjectives (often marked by inflection) related in some way to other words in a sentence

To traverse or put behind a certain distance.

The housing or outer covering of something;

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

A person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities);

To overspread the surface of (one thing) with another; as, to cover wood with paint or lacquer; to cover a table with a cloth.

An enveloping structure or covering enclosing an animal or plant organ or part

To envelop; to clothe, as with a mantle or cloak.

The enclosing frame around a door or window opening;

To invest (one's self with something); to bring upon (one's self); as, he covered himself with glory.

Bed linen consisting of a cover for a pillow;

To hide sight; to conceal; to cloak; as, the enemy were covered from our sight by the woods.

Look over, usually with the intention to rob;

To brood or sit on; to incubate.

Enclose in, or as if in, a case;

To shelter, as from evil or danger; to protect; to defend; as, the cavalry covered the retreat.

To remove from remembrance; to put away; to remit.

To extend over; to be sufficient for; to comprehend, include, or embrace; to account for or solve; to counterbalance; as, a mortgage which fully covers a sum loaned on it; a law which covers all possible cases of a crime; receipts than do not cover expenses.

To put the usual covering or headdress on.

To copulate with (a female); to serve; as, a horse covers a mare; - said of the male.

To spread a table for a meal; to prepare a banquet.

Anything which is laid, set, or spread, upon, about, or over, another thing; an envelope; a lid; as, the cover of a book.

Anything which veils or conceals; a screen; disguise; a cloak.

Shelter; protection; as, the troops fought under cover of the batteries; the woods afforded a good cover.

The woods, underbrush, etc., which shelter and conceal game; covert; as, to beat a cover; to ride to cover.

The lap of a slide valve.

A tablecloth, and the other table furniture; esp., the table furniture for the use of one person at a meal; as, covers were laid for fifty guests.

A covering that serves to conceal or shelter something;

Bedding that keeps a person warm in bed;

The act of concealing the existence of something by obstructing the view of it;

The front and back covering of a book;

A natural object that covers or envelops;

Covering for a hole (especially a hole in the top of a container);

Fire that makes it difficult for the enemy to fire on your own individuals or formations;

A fixed charge by a restaurant or night club over and above the charge for food and drink

A recording of a song that was first recorded or made popular by somebody else;

A false identity and background (especially one created for an undercover agent);

Provide with a covering or cause to be covered;

Form a cover over;

Span an interval of distance, space or time;

Provide for;

Deal with verbally or in some form of artistic expression;

Include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory;

Travel across or pass over;

Be responsible for reporting the details of, as in journalism;

Hold within range of an aimed firearm

To take an action to protect against future problems;

Hide from view or knowledge;

Protect or defend (a position in a game);

Maintain a check on; especially by patrolling;

Protect by insurance;

Make up for shortcomings or a feeling of inferiority by exaggerating good qualities;

Invest with a large or excessive amount of something;

Help out by taking someone's place and temporarily assuming his responsibilities;

Be sufficient to meet, defray, or offset the charge or cost of;

Spread over a surface to conceal or protect;

Cover as if with a shroud;

Copulate with a female, used especially of horses;

Put something on top of something else;

Play a higher card than the one previously played;

Be responsible for guarding an opponent in a game

Sit on (eggs);

Clothe, as if for protection from the elements;