[f. COVE sb.1]
† 1. intr. To shelter in a cove or small bay. Obs.
1631. E. Pelham, God’s Power & Prov., in Collect. Voy. (Church. 1704), IV. 811. Even there between two Rocks we coved. Ibid., 814. We could not possibly get to Bell Sound that night, but Coved halfway.
2. trans. To arch or vault; esp. to arch (a ceiling) at its junction with the wall.
1756, 1779. [see COVED].
1817. Scott, Lett. to Terry, 29 Oct., in Lockhart. I resign the idea of coving the library to your better judgement.
1864. Kerr, Gentl. House, 207. Another good principle is to cove the ceilings.
b. To incline inwards (the sides of a fireplace): see COVING 2.
1838. Papers Duties Corps R. Eng., II. 253. Fire-places … should all have their sides altered by coving them.
Cove, var. of COFE adv. Obs., quickly.
a. 1325. Names Hare, in Rel. Ant., I. 134. The liȝtt-fot,… The go-bi-grounde,… The coue-arise.
