1. The action of the vb. COVER, in various senses.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xxiii. 252. In gode love scholde be no coverynge.
1428. E. E. Wills (1882), 80. To the keuering of the trinite schapell.
1552. Huloet, Couerynge, horsynge or leapynge of a mare.
1607. Hieron, Wks., I. 152. The hiding and couering of mine owne actions.
a. 1722. Lisle, Husb., 36. Covering is when the lime is first laid on the land … and so covered over with earth.
1812. Examiner, 27 Sept. 612/2. The division of Foy … was charged with the covering of the retrograde movement.
1849. Youatt, Horse, 319. From the time of covering, to within a few days of the expected period of foaling.
1859. F. A. Griffiths, Artil. Man. (ed. 9), 155. The subaltern officers correct the covering and dressing.
2. concr. That which covers or is adapted to cover, whether for protection, shelter, concealment or adornment; a cover; a cloth to spread over; clothing; the outer coating or integument.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XVII. 343. Scaffatis, ledderis, and coueryngis.
1382. Wyclif, 2 Sam. xvii. 19. A womman … strauȝte out a couerynge vpon the mouth of the pit.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 346. Medicyns þat … makiþ a rynde aboue upon þe fleisch & makiþ a strong keveryng for to defende þe fleisch fro harm.
1413. Lydg., Pilgr. Sowle, IV. xxxvii. (1483), 84. Norysshyng to the body within and koueryng withoute.
1530. Palsgr., 210/1. Coveryng of a sadell, hovsse.
1566. in E. Peacock, Eng. Ch. Furn. (1866), 54. An alb—whearof is made a coveringe for our font.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., II. (1586), 70 b. Trees and Wooddes … at the first served men for foode, coveryng, and clothing.
1611. Bible, Job xxii. 14. Thicke cloudes are a couering to him that he seeth not.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist., I. 48. The whole earth … was buried beneath a covering of waters.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xxx. There was neither cloak nor covering for the Prince.
1846. J. Baxter, Libr. Pract. Agric., I. 106. The covering or capsule, when the seeds become ripe, opens at the top.
1854. Brewster, More Worlds, iii. 40. The geologist … finds its solid covering composed of rocks.
1874. L. Tollemache, in Fortn. Rev., Feb., 226. A convenient covering, from behind which he may direct his own shafts with impunity.
† b. spec. The roof of a building; a canopy; a bed-cover; the cover of a book. Obs.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. clxvii. (1495), 711. Trees areryd … vp to the toppe of the house … beeryth vp the coueryng therof.
1459. Paston Lett., No. 336, I. 482. Item, j payre of schetys … Item, j coveryng of whyte lynen clothe.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., clxi. 144. The stretes were couerd ouer his hede … with ryche couerynge.
1483. Cath. Angl., 78. Couerynge of a buke, coopertorium.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 186 b. The foundacyon may be without the couerynge of the hous.
1558. Invent., in Wills & Inv. N. C. (Surtees), 170. A payre of lin sheits & a old coueringe.
1630. R. Johnson’s Kingd. & Commw., 238. The tops and coverings of houses.
1681. Colvil, Whigs Supplic. (1751), 58. We sold covering, sheet, and blanket.
† c. A lid. Obs.
1479. Bury Wills (Camden), 54. A pece of syluer wt a curyng of syluyr haueyng a knoppe aboue.
c. 1540. Pilgr. T., 83, in Thynne, Animadv., App. 79. With keuering of his cupe.
1633. P. Fletcher, Purple Isl., II. xxxv. 25. Like to a pot … with close-laid covering.
3. Comb. [here the vbl. sb. and ppl. a. often blend], as covering-hurdle, -party, -plate, -time; covering-board, a plank that is fitted round the ship, covering the tops of all the timbers; = PLANKSHEER; † covering-seeds, comfits made by coating seeds with sugar; covering-stone, the top stone of a cromlech or the like; covering-strap, in iron ships, a plate beneath the two meeting-plates in a strake, to which these are riveted, and thus connected together.
1846. A. Young, Naut. Dict., *Covering-board. The same as Planksheer.
1881. Daily Tel., 28 Jan., 1/1. I looked over the side and noticed how close the water washed up against the covering-board.
1832. J. Bree, St. Herbert’s Isle, Notes 122. The Britons are said to have used a *covering-hurdle in battle.
1651–7. T. Barker, Art of Angling (1826), 9. Put into the pan, and covered with a *covering plate.
1696. Rich Closet of Rarities, 41 (N.). To make each sort of Comfits, vulgarly called *Covering-seeds, &c., with Sugar.
1827. G. Higgins, Celtic Druids, 218. In order to get the *covering-stone the easier into its place.
1782. Sportsm. Dict., s.v. Stallion, Let there be likewise a rack and manger to feed him in, during his *covering-time.
