Forms: 3 kuuertur, 4 couertor, 4–6 cou-, covertour(e, 4–7 couerture, 5 couertowre, (6 couverture, Sc. coveratour), 8 covarture, 3– coverture. [a. OF. coverture (12th c.; now couverture) = Pr. and Sp. cobertura:—L. type *coopertūra, f. ppl. stem of cooperīre to COVER: see -URE. Early instances in -or, -ur, -our were prob. a. OF. covertor, couvretoir:—L. coopertōrium covering; but on the mutescence of final -e these ceased to be distinguishable from the word in -ture.]

1

  1.  Anything used to cover. Formerly used of the cover or lid of a cup or dish; the cover of a book; the cover of a letter; now only in the general and usually collective sense of ‘covering.’

2

c. 1450.  Bk. Curtasye, 754, in Babees Bk. (1868), 324. Wo so euer he takes þat mete to bere, Schalle not so hardy þo couertoure rere. Ibid., 791. The keruer … Vnkouers þe cup … Into þe couertoure wyn he powres owt.

3

1460–70.  Bk. Quintessence, 5. Seele þe vessel with his couertour.

4

1509.  Barclay, Shyp of Folys (1570), 1 b. Full goodly bounde in pleasant couerture.

5

1540.  Morysine, Vives’ Introd. Wysd., B v b. The bodye … is nothing els but a coverture and a thing bound to serve the soule.

6

1587.  Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 1374/1. For such letters as came vnto me … they were inclosed vnder a couerture from Fulgeam.

7

1592.  R. D., Hypnerotomachia, F ij b. Strong Okes … and browne Hasils … with the greene couerture of their innumerable leaues.

8

1697.  trans. C’tess. D’Aunoy’s Trav. (1706), 83. Her hair was white, which she hid under a Coverture of black Lace.

9

1702.  W. J., trans. Bruyn’s Voy. Levant, xxxvi. 140. This Tomb is quite naked without any Coverture or Balisters.

10

1860.  Rawlinson, Herodotus, IX. lxxxii. IV. 454. The couches … daintily decked out with their rich covertures.

11

1873.  Browning, Red Cott. Nt.-cap, 1061. Herbage and floral coverture bedeck Yon splintered mass.

12

  fig.  1593.  Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., IV. ii. 13. In Nights Couerture Wee may surprize and take him at our pleasure.

13

1611.  Barksted, Hiren (1876), 79. He stumbled home, In the darke couerture of shady night.

14

  † b.  In coverture: covered. Obs.

15

1545.  Primer Hen. VIII., Matins, Keep our eyes in coverture From all evil and vain pleasure.

16

  † 2.  A bed-cover, coverlet or quilt. Obs.

17

  (App. the earliest sense in Eng.)

18

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 214. Schulen beon of wurmes his kurtel and his kuuertur.

19

a. 1300.  K. Horn, 716. He liþ in bure, Under coverture.

20

c. 1340.  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 855. Couertorez ful curious, with comlych panez.

21

a. 1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 6955. Þi covertoure on þe sene Salle be vermyn fulle felle and kene.

22

a. 1450.  Knt. de la Tour (1868), 110. The childe deyde bi cause … the childe was ouer charged with couerture.

23

c. 1477.  Caxton, Jason, 66. To lye on the bedde of tribulacion under the couertour of right mortal distresse. Ibid. (1483), Gold. Leg., 126/1. A moche riche couertour for hys bedde.

24

1539.  Inventories, 45 (Jam.). Four coveratouris of grene taffatiis stikkit.

25

1697.  trans. C’tess. D’Aunoy’s Trav. (1706), 45. The Beds are without Curtains, the Covertures of Cotton.

26

  † 3.  Covering for the body, clothing; a garment. Also of a horse: Housings, trappings, caparison.

27

c. 1300.  Thrush & Night., 119, in Hazl., E. P. P. (1864), I. 55. Hoe fedde a crupel in hire boure, And helede him with covertour.

28

c. 1340.  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 602. Þe cropore, & þe couertor, acorded wyth þe arsounez.

29

c. 1400.  Maundev. (1839), xxii. 241. 4 grete Destreres … Covered with riche Covertoures.

30

1474.  Caxton, Chesse, 152. Vestementes and couertours necessarye vnto hys body.

31

1555.  Eden, Decades, 208. The men go vtterly naked without any … couerture at al.

32

1605.  Camden, Rem. (1637), 192. Other thinke that beasts skinnes … was mans first coverture.

33

1627.  Lisander & Cal., X. 210. Seeing him without any caparison or other couerture but his saddle.

34

  4.  An overhead covering; † a roof, a canopy; the tilt of a waggon. Now rare.

35

1382.  Wyclif, Ex. xxxvi. 19. He made the couertour of the tabernacle of skynnes of wethers.

36

c. 1430.  Lydg., Bochas, I. xviii. (1554), 34 a. The sterred heauen is thy couerture.

37

1532–3.  Act 24 Hen. VIII., c. 10. Decay of the couertures of thatched houses.

38

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., IX. (1682), 384. The admirable Fishponds of Lucullus, (the Coverture of which, is supported by forty eight natural Pillers of stony Earth).

39

1856.  Mrs. Browning, Aur. Leigh, III. 1094. Through the waggon’s coverture.

40

  5.  Protective covering; shelter; refuge. Also fig.

41

c. 1450.  MS. Cantab. Ff. i. 6, f. 151 (Halliw.). To kepe hym under the coverture Of trowthe and of connyng.

42

1556.  Abp. Parker, Ps. cxl. My closely couerture.

43

1579.  Spenser, Sheph. Cal., July, 26. Agaynst his cruell scortching heate, Where hast thou couerture?

44

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., II. (1682), 50. To seek the coverture of some Rock.

45

1665.  Manley, Grotius’ Low C. Warres, 609. That he would assist those miserable Wretches, and take them into Coverture.

46

1837.  M. J. Chapman, in Blackw. Mag., XLII. 550. By Him, whose banner is our coverture.

47

  6.  Concealing covering; disguise, veil. Also fig.

48

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Boeth., V. iii. 159. Þilke notificaciouns þat ben yhidd vndir þe couertours of soþe.

49

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 1588. Ryght as a myrrour openly Shewith alle thing that stondith therby … Withouten ony coverture.

50

1594.  Carew, Huarte’s Exam. Wits, xiii. (1596), 205. The wiles which come vailed with anie couerture.

51

1599.  Marston, Sco. Villanie, I. ii. To make Iehoua but a couerture, To shade ranck filth.

52

1625.  W. B., True School War, 7. The specious Mantle, and couerture of Religion.

53

a. 1677.  Barrow, Serm. (1683), II. xix. 273. Shrowded under the coverture of other Persons and Names.

54

1856.  Boker, Anne Boleyn, V. vi. I’ll hide thy name Under the coverture of even lines.

55

  7.  fig. Concealment; dissimulation, deceit, covert conduct.

56

1393.  Gower, Conf., III. 328. They … faile of that they seche By coverture and sleight of speche.

57

c. 1400.  Beryn, 1147. Kepte well hir purpose vndir coverture.

58

1591.  Spenser, M. Hubberd, 683. Throughly arm’d against such coverture.

59

  † 8.  fig. a. A pretext, pretence; b. a justification, a defence of conduct. Obs.

60

c. 1440.  Generydes, 4596. To sle hym vterly, With fals tresone vnder a coverture.

61

c. 1477.  Caxton, Jason, 95 b. He folowed Medea under the couerture of will to go … to the temple.

62

1548.  Udall, etc. Erasm. Par., Matt. i. 22. Under this unhonest couerture.

63

1583.  Golding, Calvin on Deut. cxvi. 710. Nay not then, when wee haue just cause and couerture.

64

  9.  Law. The condition or position of a woman during her married life, when she is by law under the authority and protection of her husband. Also in phr. Under coverture (lit. and fig.).

65

1542–3.  Act 34–5 Hen. VIII., c. 22. The freholde of his wife, during the couerture between them.

66

1587.  Golding, De Mornay, xvi. (1617), 285. If the Soule had held her selfe in awe, and onder couerture.

67

1642.  Perkins, Prof. Bk., i. § 20. 10. This grant shall not bind the husband dureing the coverture.

68

1708.  J. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit., I. III. v. (1743), 179. If a freeman marry a bondwoman, she is also free during the coverture.

69

1817.  W. Selwyn, Law Nisi Prius (ed. 4), II. 698. B. afterwards died under coverture, no entry having been made on her behalf to avoid the fine.

70

1868.  Miss Braddon, Dead-sea Fruit, II. vii. His accomplished wife could scarcely be subjected to … imprisonment … while sheltered by the ægis of her coverture.

71

  b.  humorously said of a married man.

72

1836.  Dickens, Sk. Boz, Mr. Watkins Tottle. I pleaded my coverture, being a married man.

73

  10.  Ornith. = COVERT 5. rare. [F. couvertures.]

74

1861.  Hulme, trans. Moquin-Tandon, II. III. 211. The great wing and tail feathers…, and the covertures which protect the base of the latter.

75