veneer

veneer
    n 1: coating consisting of a thin layer of superior wood glued
         to a base of inferior wood [syn: {veneer}, {veneering}]
    2: an ornamental coating to a building [syn: {facing}, {veneer}]
    v 1: cover with veneer; "veneer the furniture to protect it"
    

Veneer \Ve*neer"\, n. [Cf. G. furnier or fournier. See {Veneer},
   v. t.]
   A thin leaf or layer of a more valuable or beautiful material
   for overlaying an inferior one, especially such a thin leaf
   of wood to be glued to a cheaper wood; hence, external show;
   gloss; false pretense.
   [1913 Webster]

   {Veneer moth} (Zool.), any moth of the genus {Chilo}; -- so
      called because the mottled colors resemble those of
      veneering.
      [1913 Webster]
    

Veneer \Ve*neer"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Veneered}; p. pr. & vb.
   n. {Veneering}.] [G. furnieren, fourniren, fr. F. fournir to
   furnish. See {Furnish}.]
   To overlay or plate with a thin layer of wood or other
   material for outer finish or decoration; as, to veneer a
   piece of furniture with mahogany. Used also figuratively.
   [1913 Webster]

         As a rogue in grain
         Veneered with sanctimonious theory.      --Tennyson.
   [1913 Webster]
    

105 Moby Thesaurus words for "veneer":
      appearance, aspect, board, brick, clapboard, coat, coating, collop,
      cover, covering, cursoriness, cut, deal, disguise, disk, enamel,
      epidermis, extenuate, exteriority, facade, face, facing,
      false front, feuille, film, finish, flap, foil, fold, front, fur,
      glass, glaze, gloss, gloss over, guise, lacquer, lamella, lamina,
      laminated glass, laminated wood, lap, lath, leaf, mask, membrane,
      mere scratch, no depth, no water, outward show, paint, pane, panel,
      paper, patina, peel, pellicle, pinprick, plait, plank, plate,
      plating, ply, plywood, rasher, revet, revetment, rind,
      safety glass, scale, scratch, scum, shake, shallowness, sheathe,
      sheet, shingle, shoaliness, show, skin, slab, slat, slate, slice,
      slightness, stone, sugarcoat, superficiality, superficies, surface,
      table, tablet, thatch, tile, triviality, varnish, wafer, wall in,
      wall up, wallpaper, weatherboard, white, whiten, whitewash,
      window dressing