papering Definition

paper
noun

1. A material manufactured in thin sheets from pulped wood, rags, or other forms of cellulose, used for writing and printing on, wrapping things, etc.
2. A loose piece of paper, eg a wrapper or printed sheet.
3. Other material used for a similar purpose or with a similar appearance, eg papyrus, rice paper.
4. Wallpaper.
5a. A newspaper;

Thesaurus: newspaper, journal, gazette, daily.
5b. Newspapers collectively; the press.

Form: the papers
6. A set of questions on a certain subject for a written examination.

Example: maths paper
7a. A written article dealing with a certain subject, especially for reading to an audience at a meeting, conference, etc;

Thesaurus: document, exposition, essay, article, theme, writing.
7b. An essay written eg by a student.
8. Personal documents establishing one's identity, nationality, etc, required by customs, passport control, etc, and in some countries required by law to be carried at all times.

Thesaurus: identification, passport, naturalization papers, ID (slang).
Form: papers
9. A person's accumulated correspondence, diaries, etc.

Form: papers
10. politics.
See under green paper, white paper.
11. stock exchange slang
Stocks and shares.

adj

1. Consisting of or made of paper.
2. Paper-like, especially thin like paper; papery.
3. On paper.

verb papered, papering

1. To decorate (a wall, a room, etc) with wallpaper.

Example: paper the hall
2. To cover something with paper.

Derivative: paperer
noun

Derivative: papering

The activity of covering something with paper, especially wallpaper.

The paper used for this.

Idiom: on paper

In theory or in abstract as distinct from practice.
Example: The plans were good on paper, but not in practice
Thesaurus: in theory, theoretically, in the abstract; supposedly.

Captured in written form.
Example: get one's ideas down on paper

Etymology: 14c: from French papier, from Latin, from Greek papyros papyrus.

Phrasal Verb: paper over something or paper over the cracks in something

To conceal or avoid (an awkward fact, mistake, etc).