different between uncover vs observe

English

Etymology

From Middle English uncoveren, equivalent to un- +? cover.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?n?k?v?/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?n?k?v?(?)/
• Rhymes: -?v?(r)

Verb

uncover (third-person singular simple present uncovers, present participle uncovering, simple past and past participle uncovered)

1. To remove a cover from.

   The model railway was uncovered.

2. To reveal the identity of.

   The murderer has finally been uncovered.

3. To show openly; to disclose; to reveal.
4. (reflexive, intransitive) To remove one's hat or cap as a mark of respect.
   • 1824, Town and Country Tales (page 115)

     Alfred, surprised to meet his father, whom he thought absent from home, […] stood, holding his firelock in one hand, and his hat in the other, having uncovered himself as soon as he perceived his father.
5. (reflexive, intransitive) To expose the genitalia.
6. (military, transitive) To expose (lines of formation of troops) successively by the wheeling to right or left of the lines in front.

Synonyms

• (to show openly): expose, uncloak; see also Thesaurus:reveal
• (to remove one's hat or cap): doff, uncoif, unhat; see also Thesaurus:undress

Antonyms

• cover up

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle French observer, from Old French [Term?], from Latin observare (“to watch, note, mark, heed, guard, keep, pay attention to, regard, comply with, etc.”), from ob (“before”) + servare (“to keep”), from Proto-Indo-European *serw- (“to guard”). Cognate with Gothic ???????????????????? (sarwa, “weapons, armour”), Old English searu (“device, design, contrivance, art, cunning, craft, artifice, wile, deceit, stratagem, ambush, treachery, plot, trick, snare, ambuscade, cleverness, machine, engine, fabric, armor, equipment, arms”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?b?z??v/, (rare) /?b?z??v/
• (General American, Canada) enPR: ?b-zûrv?, IPA^(key): /?b?z?v/
• Rhymes: -??(?)v
• Hyphenation: ob?serve

Verb

observe (third-person singular simple present observes, present participle observing, simple past and past participle observed)

1. (transitive) To notice or view, especially carefully or with attention to detail.
   • 1892, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb

     “One horse?” interjected Holmes. ¶ “Yes, only one.” ¶ “Did you observe the colour?”
2. (transitive) To follow or obey the custom, practice, or rules (especially of a religion).
3. (transitive) To take note of and celebrate (a holiday or similar occurrence); to follow (a type of time or calendar reckoning).

   • Ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread.

   • 2020 (March 7), Jackie Dunham, "Daylight time: How to get enough sleep when the clocks spring forward, CTV News:

     On Sunday, most of Canada will observe daylight time and spring forward an hour in order to reflect the increasing sunlight.

4. (intransitive) To comment on something; to make an observation.

   • Elbows almost touching they leaned at ease, idly reading the almost obliterated lines engraved there. ¶ "I never understood it," she observed, lightly scornful. "What occult meaning has a sun-dial for the spooney? I'm sure I don't want to read riddles in a strange gentleman's optics."

Synonyms

• (follow a custom): celebrate

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

• observe in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• observe in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• obverse, verbose

French

Verb

observe

1. first-person singular present indicative of observer
2. third-person singular present indicative of observer
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of observer
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of observer
5. second-person singular imperative of observer

Portuguese

Verb

observe

1. first-person singular present subjunctive of observar
2. third-person singular present subjunctive of observar
3. first-person singular imperative of observar
4. third-person singular imperative of observar

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ob?serve]

Verb

observe

1. third-person singular present subjunctive of observa
2. third-person plural present subjunctive of observa

Spanish

Verb

observe

1. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of observar.
2. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of observar.
3. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of observar.
4. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present subjunctive form of observar.