hover

== English == === Etymology === The verb is derived from Middle English hoveren (“to float in the air, hover; to stay”), probably from hoven (“hover; of a bird: to fly high in the air, soar”) (which it displaced) + -er- (frequentative suffix). Hoven is probably derived from Old English *hōfian, from hōfon, the plural past indicative form of hebban (“to lift, raise”), from Proto-West Germanic *habbjan, from Proto-Germanic *habjaną (“to lift; to heave”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂p- (“to hold, seize”). The English word is analysable as hove (“(obsolete) to remain suspended, float, hover; to linger, wait”) +‎ -er (frequentative suffix). The noun is derived from the verb. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈhɒvə/, (other UK also) IPA(key): /ˈhʌvə/ (General American, Canada) IPA(key): /ˈhɑvɚ/, /ˈhʌvɚ/ (General Australian) IPA(key): /ˈhɔvə/, /ˈhavə/ Rhymes: -ɒvə(ɹ), -ʌvə(ɹ) Hyphenation: hov‧er === Verb === hover (third-person singular simple present hovers, present participle hovering, simple past and past participle hovered) (transitive) To keep (something, such as an aircraft) in a stationary state in the air. Of a bird: to shelter (chicks) under its body and wings; (by extension) of a thing: to cover or surround (something). (obsolete) Of a bird or insect: to flap (its wings) so it can remain stationary in the air. (intransitive) To remain stationary or float in the air. (figuratively) Sometimes followed by over: to hang around or linger in a place, especially in an uncertain manner. Synonym: wasp around To be indecisive or uncertain; to vacillate, to waver. (computing) Chiefly followed by over: to use a mouse or other device to place a cursor over something on a screen such as a hyperlink or icon without clicking, so as to produce a result (such as the appearance of a tooltip). (nautical) To travel in a hovercraft as it moves above a water surface. ==== Conjugation ==== ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== hove ==== Descendants ==== Welsh: hofran ==== Translations ==== === Noun === hover (plural hovers) An act, or the state, of remaining stationary in the air or some other place. A flock of birds fluttering in the air in one place. (figuratively) An act, or the state, of being suspended; a suspension. (chiefly Southern England) A cover; a protection; a shelter; specifically, an overhanging bank or stone under which fish can shelter; also, a shelter for hens brooding their eggs. ==== Derived terms ==== hovercard hoverfly, hover fly hover hand hover text ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === hover (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “hover”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. “hover”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. “hover”, in OneLook Dictionary Search. == Norwegian Bokmål == === Alternative forms === høver === Noun === hover m indefinite plural of hov == Scots == === Verb === hover (third-person singular simple present hovers, present participle hoverin, simple past and past participle hovert) to hover to pause (in hesitation)