Cov"er*ture (k?v"?r-t?r; 135), n. [OF. coverture,F. couverture.] 1. Covering; shelter; defense; hiding.
Protected by walls or other like coverture.
Woodward.
Beatrice, who even now
Is couched in the woodbine coverture.
Shak.
2. (Law) The condition of a woman during marriage, because she is considered under the cover, influence, power, and protection of her husband, and therefore called a feme covert, or femme couverte.
Cov"et (k?v"?t), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Covered; p. pr. & vb. n. Coveting.] [OF. coveitier, covoitier, F. convoiter, from a derivative fr. L. cupere to desire; cf. Skr. kup to become excited. Cf. Cupidity.]