cover for
phrasal verb.to do someone's work while they are away, or to lie to protect them from getting into trouble.
phrasal verb.to temporarily perform the duties of a colleague or to provide an alibi or excuse for another person's absence or error.
“Can you cover for me while I go to the doctor?”
“When the manager asked where Sarah was, her friend covered for her by saying she was in a meeting.”
“The junior associate was expected to cover for the senior partner during the lengthy arbitration hearings in Geneva.”
usually followed by a person; the context determines if the act is helpful work or a protective lie.
distinguish between the professional sense (filling in) and the social sense (making an excuse); both imply a temporary substitution of responsibility.
the object must follow the preposition 'for' because this phrasal verb is inseparable.
- Particles
- for
- Separability
- inseparable
- Pattern
- cover + for + object