cover one's bases

== English == === Alternative forms === cover all of one's bases, cover all the bases, cover the bases === Etymology === From the rules of baseball, where the defending team needs to assign an infielder to each of the three outward-facing bases. === Pronunciation === === Verb === cover one's bases (third-person singular simple present covers one's bases, present participle covering one's bases, simple past and past participle covered one's bases) (idiomatic) To be thorough; to prepare thoroughly or completely.