cover (one's) ass
(redirected from covers one's ass)cover (one's) ass
rude slang To act in order to avoid blame or responsibility for something or prevent oneself from experiencing negative consequences. I immediately covered my ass by saying that I wasn't home when the puppy got out. Politicians don't care about the outcome of the vote, they just care about covering their asses.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
cover one's ass
Also, cover one's hide or oneself . Make excuses or otherwise take action to avoid being blamed, punished, or harmed. For example, The first thing you learn in the army is to cover your ass, or Jane is ingenious at finding ways to cover her hide. The first phrase, considered vulgar slang, dates from the 1960s; the variants are more polite.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
cover your ass
take steps to protect yourself.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
Cover your ass
and CYA sent. & comp. abb. Do what is necessary to protect yourself from discovery or criticism. (Usually objectionable.) CYA when the shit hits the fan.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
cover (one's) ass
Vulgar Slang To take measures to avoid being held responsible if something goes wrong.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
cover one's/your ass (CYA)
Protect oneself in case of failure, avoid being blamed for something. This rather rude expression dates from the 1950s and may have originated in the military. It has since been used in many different contexts. For example, the McLaughlin Group, a television panel, used the acronymic form: “Is he a hero . . . [or] a CYA practitioner?” (July 26, 1987).
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer