cove
cove — noun
1. a small area of coastline where the land curves inward, creating calm waters tha
a small area of coastline where the land curves inward, creating calm waters that are protected from strong winds and large waves — swimmers, boaters, or wildlife often use such spots as safe havens.
The children spent the afternoon swimming in a quiet cove near their hotel.
Low cliffs surrounded the cove on three sides, keeping the water perfectly still.
passive landscape description: 'was surrounded on three sides'
Renata discovered a hidden cove that was only reachable by foot at low tide.
Fishermen often moor their boats in this cove when a big storm is expected.
The old harbour was built inside a natural cove that offered shelter from the wind.
- headland
a narrow piece of land that sticks out into the sea, the opposite of an indented cove
文法句型
a sheltered cove
in a cove
hidden cove
用法筆記
A cove is smaller and more sheltered than a bay or a gulf. On maps, it often appears as a deep notch in the coastline.
常見錯誤
2. a decorative strip with a curved surface, made of wood, plaster, or other materi
a decorative strip with a curved surface, made of wood, plaster, or other material, placed in the corner where a wall meets the ceiling above it, hiding the gap between them or adding a stylish finish.
The living room features elegant coves where the walls meet the ceiling.
feature naming: 'features coves where + clause'
Ezra painted the cove in the hallway cream to match the ceiling.
Victorian houses are known for their decorative coves made of plaster.
We installed wooden coves in the dining room to give it a more formal look.
- coving
the mass noun referring to cove molding as a material or style, e.g. 'we put coving in the bedroom'
- crown molding
a broader category of ceiling-edge trim; a cove is a specific type with a concave profile
文法句型
[room] features coves
decorative coves
cove + ceiling
用法筆記
Often used in the plural (coves) because a single room typically has coves on all four walls. The related term coving is the mass noun for the material or style of such decoration.
3. a man or fellow, used in old-fashioned or informal British English, often when t
a man or fellow, used in old-fashioned or informal British English, often when the speaker talks about someone in a friendly, familiar, or slightly cheeky way.
Ayana introduced me to a nice cove she had met at the pub last Friday.
informal register: 'a nice cove' in casual introduction
Our neighbour Gareth is a decent cove who always helps with the garden.
Rin asked, nodding toward the window, 'Who is that cove over there by the bar?'
My granddad uses old words like 'cove' for a man he has just met.
文法句型
a [adjective] cove
old cove
用法筆記
This sense is distinctly dated in modern British English and sounds old-fashioned or rural to younger speakers. It survives in expressions such as 'a rum cove' (a strange or suspicious man).
常見錯誤
4. a small, narrow hollow or cavity on a cliff face or mountain slope, often formed
a small, narrow hollow or cavity on a cliff face or mountain slope, often formed by erosion, weathering, or rock movement, and typically large enough for a person or animal to enter.
The climbers took shelter from the rain in a shallow cove halfway up the cliff.
use: 'take shelter in a cove' for protection from weather
Lucas shone his torch into the dark cove but could not see the back wall.
Every spring, seabirds nest inside rocky coves along the steep coastal cliffs.
The smugglers' trail led to a hidden cove in the hillside where goods were stored.
文法句型
a cove in [cliff/mountain]
hidden cove
rocky cove
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 1 (SHELTERED BAY): sense 4 refers to a hollow or cavity inside rock, not to a sandy shoreline. A cove in a cliff face may be a shelter for animals or climbers, not a swimming spot.
常見錯誤
cove — verb
1. to shape wood, stone, plaster, or another material by cutting or carving a curve
to shape wood, stone, plaster, or another material by cutting or carving a curved hollow surface into it, creating a concave form.
The carpenter carefully coved the edge of the wooden panel to match the original design.
pattern: 'coved [object] to [purpose]'
Stefan used a curved tool to cove the stone into an arch for the fireplace.
Nila learned to cove plaster when restoring the ceiling decorations in the old library.
The artisan coved the marble surface, turning a flat slab into a shallow bowl.
- convex
to make a rounded outward curve, the opposite of a concave hollow
文法句型
cove + [material]
coved + [surface]
用法筆記
This verb is primarily found in specialist craft, carpentry, and stonemasonry contexts. Learners at C1 level may encounter it in descriptions of restoration work or traditional building techniques. The noun coving (the result of coving) is more common.