Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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.

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.

Source : WordNet®

covering
     n 1: a natural object that covers or envelops; "under a covering
          of dust"; "the fox was flushed from its cover" [syn: {natural
          covering}, {cover}]
     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; "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}]