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Covey vs Bevy - What's the difference?

covey | bevy |

As nouns the difference between covey and bevy

is that covey is a group of 8-12 (or more) quail. See gaggle, host, flock while bevy is a group of animals, in particular quail.

As a verb covey

is to brood; to incubate.

covey

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Noun

(wikipedia covey) (en noun)
  • A group of 8-12 (or more) quail. See gaggle, host, flock.
  • A brood of partridges, grouse, etc.
  • A party or group (of persons or things).
  • * 1906 , O. Henry,
    • The store is on a corner about which coveys of ragged-plumed, hilarious children play and become candidates for the cough drops and soothing syrups that wait for them inside.
  • * 1982 , (Lawrence Durrell), Constance'', Faber & Faber 2004 (''Avignon Quintet ), p. 736
    • A covey of grey soldiers clanked down the platform at the double with their equipment and embarked, but in absolute silence, which seemed to them very singular.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To brood; to incubate.
  • * Holland
    • [Tortoises] covey a whole year before they hatch.
  • * 1869 , Florida. Commissioner of Lands and Immigration, Florida: Its Climate, Soil, and Productions (page 108)
    • There is a duck called the raft duck, because it is so numerous, coveying together in "whole rafts."
    References
    * 1996, T.F. Hoad, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Etymology , Oxford University Press, ISBN 0192830988

    Etymology 2

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (British, slang, dated) A man.
  • * 1846 , Justin Jones, The prince and the queen; or, Scenes in high life
    • 'Pooh!' said he, 'you are as easily wounded as an unfledged dove — don't mind what an old covey like me says — I understand it all.'
  • * 1850 , Waldo Howard, The mistake of a life-time, or, The robber of the Rhine (page 140)
    • There vas an old covey as lived in Wapping, at the time I'm telling you of, who vas connected vith us by ties of common interest.
  • * 1851 , William Thomas Moncrieff, Selections from the dramatic works of William T. Moncrieff
    • I don't know what would become of these here young chaps, if it wasn't for such careful old coveys as we are—
    Synonyms
    * bloke (UK), chap (UK), chappie (UK), cove (UK), guy

    Anagrams

    * English heteronyms

    bevy

    English

    Noun

    (bevies)
  • A group of animals, in particular quail.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author=David Simpson
    • , volume=188, issue=26, page=36, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Fantasy of navigation , passage=Like most human activities, ballooning has sponsored heroes and hucksters and a good deal in between. For every dedicated scientist patiently recording atmospheric pressure and wind speed while shivering at high altitudes, there is a carnival barker with a bevy of pretty girls willing to dangle from a basket or parachute down to earth.}}
  • A large group or collection.
  • A group of female humans. Used chiefly of schoolgirls.