hover the mouse over

USAGE SUMMARY

'hover the mouse over' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase whenever you want to describe the action of moving a computer mouse cursor over a certain object on the screen. For example, "Hover the mouse over the X icon on the screen to open the document."

✓ Grammatically correct

Wiki

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

When I get one of those charming letters from the Russian mafia inviting me to check my account details at eBay, or the Washington Mutual Bank, I need only hover the mouse over the link they supply to see the real destination appear in a tooltip.

The Guardian

There is a tiny, hard-to-find fast-forward/rewind button that pops up when you hover the mouse over the progress bar].

TechCrunch

On mobile, the emoji will come up when you touch the like button on your screen; on desktop they will come up as you hover the mouse over the like or click on it.

TechCrunch

The problem with a mobile device is that you can't hover the mouse over a webpage link to see where it leads.

Huffington Post

Open the paint bucket, and hover the mouse over the color you want.

WikiHow

If you're using this, you have to do is hover the mouse over the cookie.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

This event is triggered upon hovering the mouse over the row and displays the ligand image.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Detailed information on a scaffold or compound is displayed in tooltip windows that pop up when hovering the mouse over the corresponding element.

Journal of Cheminformatics

After zooming into a cluster, a single compound can be selected by simply hovering the mouse over the compound (or its corresponding item in the compound list on the top left screen).

Journal of Cheminformatics

If the user hovers the mouse over any of these symbols, the corresponding molecular structure is depicted (see Figure 5) by the external utility indigo-depict, which is part of the Indigo Toolkit [66]. Figure 5 Depiction of a structure in Molpher.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Each displayed chart is given a legend to show what is being presented, and hovering the mouse over the display area that could be occupied by each BoxPlot, rather than needing to hit the BoxPlot specifically, reveals metadata which includes information about the actual value ranges for the BoxPlot.

Journal of Cloud Computing: Advances, Systems and Applications

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When instructing users, be specific about the element they should "hover the mouse over". For example, "Hover the mouse over the 'Save' icon to display the save options."

Common error

Avoid using "hover" when the intended action is for the user to click the mouse. "Hover" refers to positioning the cursor without clicking, while clicking implies a selection or activation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hover the mouse over" functions as an instructional verb phrase. It directs the user to perform a specific action with the mouse cursor, primarily in the context of interacting with a graphical user interface. Ludwig AI confirms the correctness of this phrase.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Wiki

40%

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "hover the mouse over" is a grammatically correct and understandable instruction, as validated by Ludwig AI. It is used to direct users to move their mouse cursor over a specific area on a computer screen without clicking. While it appears most frequently in Wiki and News & Media sources, it's important to be mindful of its clarity and purpose. Remember to use it accurately in instructions and avoid confusing it with the action of clicking. When instructing users, be as specific as possible with the element they should interact with. Alternatives like "position the mouse over" or "place the mouse cursor on" can be considered for stylistic variation or to improve the tone of the communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

position the mouse over

Replaces "hover" with "position", emphasizing a more deliberate placement of the mouse.

place the mouse cursor on

Uses "place" and "cursor" for a slightly more formal tone, focusing on the cursor's location.

move the mouse over

A simpler alternative, replacing "hover" with the more direct verb "move".

rest the mouse pointer on

Suggests a gentle placement of the pointer, using "rest" instead of "hover".

bring the cursor to

Focuses on the action of bringing the cursor to a specific location.

guide the mouse over

Emphasizes the act of guiding the mouse to a specific point or item.

slide the mouse over

Suggests a smooth, gliding movement of the mouse.

take the mouse to

A colloquial alternative focusing on the destination of the mouse.

point the mouse towards

Highlights the directionality of the mouse movement.

hold the mouse over

Emphasizes maintaining the mouse position over something for a certain duration.

FAQs

What does "hover the mouse over" mean?

It means to move the mouse cursor over a specific area or item on a computer screen without clicking any buttons.

When should I use "hover the mouse over" in instructions?

Use it when you want the user to position their mouse cursor over something to reveal more information or trigger an action, without clicking. Alternatives include "position the mouse over" or "place the mouse cursor on".

Is it the same to "hover the mouse over" and "click on"?

No, "hover the mouse over" is just moving the cursor to a certain position. If you "click on" something, you are actively selecting it or activating a function.

What's a more formal way to say "hover the mouse over"?

In more formal contexts, you might use phrases like "position the mouse over" or "place the mouse cursor on", which sound slightly more professional.