COVERING

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does covering mean? 

• COVERING (noun)
  The noun COVERING has 5 senses:

1. a natural object that covers or envelops

2. an artifact that covers something else (usually to protect or shelter or conceal it)

3. the act of concealing the existence of something by obstructing the view of it

4. the act of protecting something by covering it

5. the work of applying something

  Familiarity information: COVERING used as a noun is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• COVERING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A natural object that covers or envelops

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Synonyms:

cover; covering; natural covering

Context example:

the fox was flushed from its cover

Hypernyms ("covering" is a kind of...):

natural object (an object occurring naturally; not made by man)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "covering"):

shell (a rigid covering that envelops an object)

eggshell; shell (the exterior covering of a bird's egg)

skim (a thin layer covering the surface of a liquid)

slough (any outer covering that can be shed or cast off (such as the cast-off skin of a snake))

snowcap (a covering of snow (as on a mountain peak))

vesture (something that covers or cloaks like a garment)

peridium (outer layer of the spore-bearing organ in many fungi)

pericarp; seed vessel (the ripened and variously modified walls of a plant ovary)

chlamys; floral envelope; perianth; perigone; perigonium (collective term for the outer parts of a flower consisting of the calyx and corolla and enclosing the stamens and pistils)

sac; theca (a case or sheath especially a pollen sac or moss capsule)

indusium (a membrane enclosing and protecting the developing spores especially that covering the sori of a fern)

bark (tough protective covering of the woody stems and roots of trees and other woody plants)

roof (the inner top surface of a covered area or hollow space)

indument; indumentum (a covering of fine hairs (or sometimes scales) as on a leaf or insect)

cap; hood (a protective covering that is part of a plant)

envelope (a natural covering (as by a fluid))

crust; encrustation; incrustation (a hard outer layer that covers something)

blanket; mantle (anything that covers)

integument (an outer protective covering such as the skin of an animal or a cuticle or seed coat or rind or shell)

case; sheath (an enveloping structure or covering enclosing an animal or plant organ or part)

body covering (any covering for the body or a body part)

test (a hard outer covering as of some amoebas and sea urchins)

shell (the hard largely calcareous covering of a mollusc or a brachiopod)

scale (a flattened rigid plate forming part of the body covering of many animals)

Derivation:

cover (form a cover over)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An artifact that covers something else (usually to protect or shelter or conceal it)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("covering" is a kind of...):

artefact; artifact (a man-made object taken as a whole)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "covering"):

paddle-box; paddle box (a wooden covering for the upper part of a paddlewheel)

mercy seat (the golden covering of the ark of the covenant)

matting (a covering of coarse fabric (usually of straw or hemp))

mask (a covering to disguise or conceal the face)

instep (the part of a shoe or stocking that covers the arch of the foot)

footgear; footwear (covering for a person's feet)

hood ((falconry) a leather covering for a hawk's head)

exhaust hood; hood (metal covering leading to a vent that exhausts smoke or fumes)

imbrication; lapping; overlapping (covering with a design in which one element covers a part of another (as with tiles or shingles))

planking ((nautical) a covering or flooring constructed of planks (as on a ship))

protection; protective cover; protective covering (a covering that is intend to protect from damage or injury)

concealment; cover; covert; screen (a covering that serves to conceal or shelter something)

swathing (cloth coverings wrapped around something (as a wound or a baby))

thumb (the part of a glove that provides a covering for the thumb)

toe (the part of footwear that provides a covering for the toes)

cover; top (covering for a hole (especially a hole in the top of a container))

upholstery (covering (padding and springs and webbing and fabric) on a piece of furniture)

wrap; wrapper; wrapping (the covering (usually paper or cellophane) in which something is wrapped)

floor cover; floor covering (a covering for a floor)

folder (covering that is folded over to protect the contents)

artificial skin (a synthetic covering with two layers used experimentally to treat burn victims)

bootleg (the part of a boot above the instep)

bubble (a dome-shaped covering made of transparent glass or plastic)

canopy (the transparent covering of an aircraft cockpit)

casing (the outermost covering of a pneumatic tire)

chafing gear (covering (usually rope or canvas) of a line or spar to protect it from friction)

cloak (anything that covers or conceals)

cloth covering (a covering made of cloth)

coat; coating (a thin layer covering something)

cover plate (covering consisting of a plate used to cover over or close in a chamber or receptacle)

drape (a sterile covering arranged over a patient's body during a medical examination or during surgery in order to reduce the possibility of contamination)

earmuff (either of a pair of ear coverings (usually connected by a headband) that are worn to keep the ears warm in cold weather)

fig leaf (a covering consisting of anything intended to conceal something regarded as shameful)

finger (one of the parts of a glove that provides covering for a finger or thumb)

flap (any broad thin and limber covering attached at one edge; hangs loose or projects freely)

article of clothing; clothing; habiliment; vesture; wear; wearable (a covering designed to be worn on a person's body)

Derivation:

cover (provide with a covering or cause to be covered)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The act of concealing the existence of something by obstructing the view of it

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

cover; covering; masking; screening

Context example:

the cover concealed their guns from enemy aircraft

Hypernyms ("covering" is a kind of...):

concealing; concealment; hiding (the activity of keeping something secret)

Derivation:

cover (spread over a surface to conceal or protect)

cover (hide from view or knowledge)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The act of protecting something by covering it

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("covering" is a kind of...):

protection (the activity of protecting someone or something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "covering"):

dressing; grooming (the activity of getting dressed; putting on clothes)

Derivation:

cover (clothe, as if for protection from the elements)

cover (spread over a surface to conceal or protect)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The work of applying something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

application; coating; covering

Context example:

the surface was ready for a coating of paint

Hypernyms ("covering" is a kind of...):

manual labor; manual labour (labor done with the hands)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "covering"):

fumigation (the application of a gas or smoke to something for the purpose of disinfecting it)

anointing; anointment (the act of applying oil or an oily liquid)

facing; lining (providing something with a surface of a different material)

waxing (the application of wax to a surface)

tiling (the application of tiles to cover a surface)

scumble (the application of very thin coat of color over the surface of a picture)

plating (the application of a thin coat of metal (as by electrolysis))

daubing; plastering (the application of plaster)

paperhanging; papering (the application of wallpaper)

tin-plating; tinning (the application of a protective layer of tin)

spraying (the application of a liquid in the form of small particles ejected from a sprayer)

painting (the act of applying paint to a surface)

pavage; paving (the act of applying paving materials to an area)

lubrication (an application of a lubricant to something)

galvanisation; galvanization (either the work of covering with metal by the use of a galvanic current or the coating of iron with zinc to protect it from rusting)

foliation (the work of coating glass with metal foil)

tinning (the application of a thin layer of soft solder to the ends of wires before soldering them)

 Context examples 

The skin or integument covering the arm.

(Arm Skin, NCI Thesaurus)

It is the first to apply the latest high-quality sequencing technology to such a large and diverse set of humans, covering 929 genomes from 54 geographically, linguistically and culturally diverse populations from across the globe.

(Global human genome study reveals our complex evolutionary history, University of Cambridge)

The Utopia deposit is shielded from the atmosphere by a soil covering estimated to be about 3 to 33 feet (1 to 10 meters) thick.

(Mars Ice Deposit Holds as Much Water as Lake Superior, NASA)

The organic materials on Ceres are mainly located in an area covering approximately 400 square miles (about 1,000 square kilometers).

(Dawn Discovers Evidence for Organic Material on Ceres, NASA)

A tumor of the peripheral nervous system that arises in the nerve sheath (protective covering).

(Benign Schwannoma, NCI Dictionary)

A covering, usually of laminated material, is then sealed to the molded part.

(Blister Pack, NCI Thesaurus)

The covering of hair, wool, or fur on the body of an animal.

(Coat, NCI Thesaurus)

A covering designed to be worn on the body.

(Clothing, NCI Thesaurus)

The thin, highly vascular membrane covering most of the posterior of the eye between the RETINA and SCLERA.

(Choroid, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Cancer that forms in the lymph tissue of the brain, spinal cord, meninges (outer covering of the brain), or eye (called ocular lymphoma).

(Central Nervous System Lymphoma, NCI Dictionary)