Cool MateTake cover vs Tell the men to break cover
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Take cover
Top 2,000 (common)
Tell the men to break cover
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Take cover
| Take cover | Tell the men to break cover | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //teɪk ˈkʌvə//🇺🇸 //teɪk ˈkʌvɚ// | 🇬🇧 //tɛl ðə mɛn tə breɪk ˈkʌvə//🇺🇸 //tɛl ðə mɛn tə breɪk ˈkʌvər// |
| Meaning | to find a safe place to protect yourself | Tell the men to hide from danger. |
| Example | When the thunderstorm hit, we had to __take cover__ under a porch. | The commander shouted, 'Tell the men to break cover quickly!' |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| Collocations | take cover immediately, take cover from the rain, take cover during the storm | break cover, tell the men, move from cover, reinforce cover, seek cover |
| Antonyms | expose, reveal | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'take' as a standalone verb, Using 'cover' alone without 'take', Misunderstanding the context; thinking it's about taking something | Confusing 'break cover' with 'take cover'., Using 'the man' instead of 'the men' when referring to multiple people., Omitting 'to' in the construction. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used during emergencies. It's important to use in serious contexts, but can be casual in playful situations. | Used in military contexts, primarily in discussions about strategy or safety. Avoid using in formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Take cover vs Tell the men to break cover
What's the difference between Take cover and Tell the men to break cover?
Take cover: to find a safe place to protect yourself Tell the men to break cover: Tell the men to hide from danger.
Which is more common: Take cover and Tell the men to break cover?
Take cover is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Take cover: When the thunderstorm hit, we had to __take cover__ under a porch. Tell the men to break cover: The commander shouted, 'Tell the men to break cover quickly!'
Can I use Take cover and Tell the men to break cover interchangeably?
Not always. Take cover and Tell the men to break cover are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.