above and over

1 'higher than': above or over     Above and over can both mean 'higher than'. Above is more common with this 
    meaning. 
        The water came up above/over our knees. 
        Can you see the helicopter above/over the palace? 
2 'not directly over': above     We use above when one thing is not directly over another. 
        We've got a little house above the lake. (NOT ••• B
~
 the ltllee.) 
3 'covering': over     We prefer over when one thing covers and/or touches another. 
        There is cloud over the South of England. 
        He put on a coat over his pyjamas. 
    We use over or across (see 9) when one thing crosses another. 
       The plane was flying over/across Denmark. 
       Electricity cables stretch over/across the fields.