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Cove vs Soffit - What's the difference?

cove | soffit |

In architecture terms the difference between cove and soffit

is that cove is to arch over; to build in a hollow concave form; to make in the form of a cove while soffit is the visible underside of an arch, balcony, beam, cornice, staircase, vault or any other architectural element.

As a verb cove

is to arch over; to build in a hollow concave form; to make in the form of a cove.

As a proper noun Cove

is a town in Arkansas.

cove

English

(wikipedia cove)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) cofa, from (etyl) . Cognate with German Koben, Swedish kofva. This word has probably survived as long as it has due to its coincidental phonetic resemblence to the unrelated word "cave".

Noun

(en noun)
  • (architecture) A concave vault or archway, especially the arch of a ceiling.
  • A small coastal inlet, especially one having high cliffs protecting vessels from prevailing winds.
  • * Holland
    • vessels which were in readiness for him within secret coves and nooks
  • (US) A strip of prairie extending into woodland.
  • A recess or sheltered area on the slopes of a mountain.
  • (nautical) The wooden roof of the stern gallery of an old sailing warship.
  • (nautical) A thin line, sometimes gilded, along a yacht's strake below deck level.

    • Verb

    (cov)
  • (architecture) To arch over; to build in a hollow concave form; to make in the form of a cove.
  • * H. Swinburne
    • The mosques and other buildings of the Arabians are rounded into domes and coved roofs.

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) . Perhaps change in consonants due to lower class th-fronting.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (British) A fellow; a man.
  • (Australia) A friend; a mate.
    • Derived terms
    * Abram cove * badge-cove * bang up cove

    Etymology 3

    Compare (etyl) couver, (etyl) covare. See covey.

    Verb

    (cov)
  • To brood, cover, over, or sit over, as birds their eggs.
  • * Holland
    • Not being able to cove or sit upon them [eggs], she [the female tortoise] bestoweth them in the gravel.
    ----

    soffit

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (architecture) The visible underside of an arch, balcony, beam, cornice, staircase, vault or any other architectural element.
  • * 1983 , Monte Burch, Building Small Barns, Sheds & Shelters? , page 110
    • If the soffit' is to be sloping, simply attach the ' soffit board(s) to the underside of the rafters, butting the edges tight against the fascia board in front and the barn siding in the back.
  • * '>citation
  • (pipe technology) The top point of the inside open section of a pipe or box conduit.
    • The elevation of the pipe soffit is 10.4 meters above mean sea level.

    Derived terms

    * coffered soffit

    See also

    * (wikipedia "soffit")