Covey
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covey¹
- /ˈkʌvi/ US, UK
Rhymes with -ʌvi
Where it comes from
The noun is derived from Middle English covei, covey (“brood of partridges, covey; volley of shot; kind of gun”) [and other forms], from Old French covée (“brood (of chickens), clutch”) (modern French couvée), a noun use of the feminine past participle of cover (“to brood (an egg)”) (modern French couver), from Latin cubāre, the present active infinitive of cubō (“to lie down, recline; to incubate; to be broody”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱewb- (“to lie down”).
The verb is derived from the noun.
Cognates
French couvée (“brood (of chickens), clutch”), couver (“to brood (an egg)”)
Italian covata (“brood, clutch, covey, hatch”), covare (“to brood or incubate (an egg)”)
noun covies · coveys · covie
- A brood or family of partridges (family Phasianidae), which includes game birds such as grouse (tribe Tetraonini) and ptarmigans (tribe Tetraonini, genus Lagopus). But, loa, with a ſuddeyn fluſhing thee galligut Harpeys / From mountayns flitter, with gaggling whirlerye flapping / Their wings: […] This coouie rauenouſe, and ſwift with a deſperat onſet, / They gripte in tallants the meat, and foorth ſpourged a ſtincking / Foule carrayne fauoure: […]
- A group of other birds, such as quail (superfamily Phasianoidea). Like when you quail huntin' and it's getting dark and you can hear the boss bird whistlin' tryin' to get the covey together again, and he's coming toward you slow and whistlin' soft, cause he knows you somewhere around with your gun.
- A group or party of people; also, a group or set of things. [T]here is not a better Spanniell in England to spring a couie of queanes than Martin.
verb coveys · coveying · coveyed · covie
- To gather into a group. Our fortunes and our ſelves, are things ſo cloſely linked, that vve knovv not vvhich is the cauſe of the love that vve finde, vvhen theſe tvvo ſhall part, vve may then diſcover to vvhich of them affection vvill make vvinge; vvhen they are covied together vve knovv not vvhich is in purſuit; vvhen the
covey²
- /ˈkəʊvi/ UK
- /ˈkoʊvi/ US
Rhymes with -əʊvi
Where it comes from
From cove + -y (diminutive suffix). Cove is derived from Romani kodo (“this one; him”) or kova (“that person”).
noun coveys
- A male person, a man; a chap, a chappie. I don't know what would become of these here young chaps, if it wasn't for such careful old coveys as we are— […]
Covey³
Where it comes from
Reduced form of McCovey.
proper noun Coveys
- A surname from Irish.
