cover for someone—
1. carry out the duties of a fellow employee, absent through sickness, etc.:
- You’ll need to apply for the sabbatical and train those who will cover for you while you’re gone.
2. conceal smb.’s wrongdoing; provide an excuse for a person:
- She said that Zaikas had covered for Isaac, who was a party to the state-hospital scandal.
Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase get someone covered—provide a person with medical insurance:
- Since he has never had an injury history it was pretty easy to get him covered.
cover up for someone— = cover for someone 2:
- I shall really have to teach Neil how to lie effectively if I’m going to expect him to cover up for me.