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cover story

[ˈkʌvər ˈstɔːri]
nounpl: cover stories
história de capa
1. A false or invented story used to conceal the real reason for something or to provide a plausible explanation for suspicious activity
The spy used the cover story of being a tourist to hide his true mission.
O espião usou a história de capa de ser um turista para esconder sua verdadeira missão.
2. A main article or feature that appears on the front cover of a magazine or publication
The magazine's cover story this month is about climate change.
A história de capa da revista este mês é sobre mudanças climáticas.
Synonyms
pretextpretensefalse storyfabricationalibi
Antonyms
truthrealityactual story

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
história de capa
Most common usage; also 'desculpa inventada' for deceptive context
São Paulo
história de capa
Standard usage; sometimes 'álibi' in informal speech
Rio de Janeiro
história de capa
Common usage; may also use 'capa' alone in informal contexts
Portugal
história de capa
Standard usage; occasionally 'pretexto' used instead

Related Idioms & Phrases

blow someone's cover
under cover
cover one's tracks
front page story
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