take cover

take cover — idiom

1. to move quickly to a safer place when something dangerous or harmful is happenin

1.idiomintransitiveB2
Definition

to move quickly to a safer place when something dangerous or harmful is happening

Example

When the first shots rang out, Roya shouted for everyone to take cover.

take cover as an urgent spoken warning

The children took cover under the table as the windows shook.

take cover under [something] for protection

Common collocations
  • take cover behind a wall
  • take cover under a table
  • take cover from the rain
  • take cover from gunfire
Synonyms
  • hide

    broader; it does not always suggest sudden danger or a quick move to safety

  • shelter

    more neutral and often used for staying protected, not only reacting at once

  • duck

    more informal and often stresses lowering your body quickly

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

take cover

take cover from [danger]

take cover behind/in/under [something]

Usage Note

Often used as a warning or fast instruction when danger arrives suddenly. You can add a place with behind, in, or under, or add from to name what the person is escaping.

Common Mistakes

We took cover the rain under a bridge.
We took cover from the rain under a bridge.
use from before the danger you are escaping.
The tourists covered take behind the bus stop.
The tourists took cover behind the bus stop.
take cover is a fixed verb phrase and the word order cannot be reversed.