3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Covering  \Cov"er*ing\,  n. 
  Anything  which  covers  or  conceals,  as  a  roof,  a  screen,  a 
  wrapper,  clothing,  etc 
 
  Noah  removed  the  covering  of  the  ark.  --Gen.  viii. 
  13. 
 
  They  cause  the  naked  to  lodge  without  clothing,  that 
  they  have  no  covering  in  the  cold.  --Job.  xxiv. 
  7. 
 
  A  covering  over  the  well's  mouth.  --2  Sam.  xvii. 
  19. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Cover  \Cov"er\  (k?v"?r),  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Covered}  (-?rd); 
  p.  pr  &  vb  n.  {Covering}.]  [OF.  covrir  F.  couvrir  fr  L. 
  cooperire  co-  +  operire  to  cover;  probably  fr  ob  towards, 
  over  +  the  root  appearing  in  aperire  to  open  Cf  {Aperient}, 
  {Overt},  {Curfew}.] 
  1.  To  overspread  the  surface  of  (one  thing)  with  another;  as 
  to  cover  wood  with  paint  or  lacquer;  to  cover  a  table  with 
  a  cloth. 
 
  2.  To  envelop;  to  clothe,  as  with  a  mantle  or  cloak. 
 
  And  with  the  majesty  of  darkness  round  Covers  his 
  throne.  --Milton. 
 
  All  that  beauty  than  doth  cover  thee.  --Shak. 
 
  3.  To  invest  (one's  self  with  something);  to  bring  upon 
  (one's  self);  as  he  covered  himself  with  glory. 
 
  The  powers  that  covered  themselves  with  everlasting 
  infamy  by  the  partition  of  Poland.  --Brougham. 
 
  4.  To  hide  sight;  to  conceal;  to  cloak;  as  the  enemy  were 
  covered  from  our  sight  by  the  woods. 
 
  A  cloud  covered  the  mount.  --Exod.  xxiv. 
  15. 
 
  In  vain  shou  striv'st  to  cover  shame  with  shame. 
  --Milton. 
 
  5.  To  brood  or  sit  on  to  incubate. 
 
  While  the  hen  is  covering  her  eggs,  the  male  .  .  . 
  diverts  her  with  his  songs.  --Addison. 
 
  6.  To  overwhelm;  to  spread  over 
 
  The  waters  returned  and  covered  the  chariots  and  the 
  horsemen.  --Ex.  xiv.  28. 
 
  7.  To  shelter,  as  from  evil  or  danger;  to  protect;  to  defend; 
  as  the  cavalry  covered  the  retreat. 
 
  His  calm  and  blameless  life  Does  with  substantial 
  blessedness  abound,  And  the  soft  wings  of  peace 
  cover  him  round.  --Cowley. 
 
  8.  To  remove  from  remembrance;  to  put  away  to  remit. 
  ``Blessed  is  he  whose  is  covered.''  --Ps.  xxxii  1. 
 
  9.  To  extend  over  to  be  sufficient  for  to  comprehend, 
  include,  or  embrace;  to  account  for  or  solve;  to 
  counterbalance;  as  a  mortgage  which  fully  covers  a  sum 
  loaned  on  it  a  law  which  covers  all  possible  cases  of  a 
  crime;  receipts  than  do  not  cover  expenses. 
 
  10.  To  put  the  usual  covering  or  headdress  on 
 
  Cover  thy  head  .  .  .;  nay,  prithee,  be  covered. 
  --Shak. 
 
  11.  To  copulate  with  (a  female);  to  serve;  as  a  horse  covers 
  a  mare;  --  said  of  the  male. 
 
  {To  cover} 
 
  {ground  or  distance},  to  pass  over  as  the  rider  covered  the 
  ground  in  an  hour. 
 
  {To  cover  one's  short  contracts}  (Stock  Exchange),  to  buy 
  stock  when  the  market  rises,  as  a  dealer  who  has  sold 
  short  does  in  order  to  protect  himself. 
 
  {Covering  party}  (Mil.),  a  detachment  of  troops  sent  for  the 
  protection  of  another  detachment,  as  of  men  working  in  the 
  trenches. 
 
  {To  cover  into},  to  transfer  to  as  to  cover  into  the 
  treasury. 
 
  Syn:  To  shelter;  screen;  shield;  hide;  overspread. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  covering 
  adj  1:  above  or  covering  a  wide  area;  "the  covering  darkness"; 
  "shadow  of  the  overhanging  crag";  "the  dark 
  overspreading  clouds"  [syn:  {overhanging},  {overspreading}] 
  2:  actively  protective;  "provided  covering  fire  for  the  platoon 
  that  was  moving  up"  [syn:  {shielding}] 
  n  1:  a  natural  object  that  covers  or  envelops;  "the  fox  was 
  flushed  from  its  cover"  [syn:  {natural  covering},  {cover}] 
  2:  an  artifact  that  protects  or  shelters  or  conceals 
  3:  the  act  of  concealing  the  existence  of  something  by 
  obstructing  the  view  of  it  "the  cover  concealed  their 
  guns  from  enemy  aircraft"  [syn:  {cover},  {screening},  {masking}] 
  4:  the  act  of  protecting  something  by  covering  it 
  5:  the  work  of  applying  something  "the  doctor  prescribed  a 
  topical  application  of  iodine";  "a  complete  bleach 
  requires  several  applications";  "the  surface  was  ready  for 
  a  coating  of  paint";  [syn:  {application},  {coating}] 

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