You searched for: “veneer
façade, veneer
façade, facade (fuh SAHD) (noun)
1. The foremost part or face of a building: The saloon had a large facade covering the whole front.
2. A way of behaving or appearing that gives other people a false idea of your true feelings or situation: The couple were always trying to keep up the facade of their happy marriage.
veneer (vuh NEAR) (noun)
1. A thin layer of wood or other material that is attached to the surface of something in order to make it look better: All the shelves had veneer along the front.
2. The appearance of politeness without any sincerity: The veneer of respectability, which the newly rich man tried to show, was in fact superficial and obviously insincere.

The façade of the building was covered with a veneer of imitation stone, making it look 100 years older than it actually was.

veneer, venue
veneer (vuh NIR) (VEND ing) (noun)
1. A thin layer of wood or other material that is attached to the surface of something in order to make it look better: "The veneer on the edges of the shelves gave them a very elegant appearance."
2. A way of behaving or appearing that gives other people a false idea of your true feelings or situation: "Their marriage appeared to be wonderful, but it was really just a veneer."
venue (VEN yoo) (noun)
The place where an event takes place: "The venue of the trial of the murderer had to be kept a secret."

The wood panels which lined the walls of the large venue where the reception was held were made of oak veneer.

Word Entries at Get Words: “veneer
veneer (s) (noun), veneers (pl)
1. A thin layer of wood which is glued together with other layers of wood to make plywood: Industrial plywood is made of several layers of veneer glued together.
2. An outer layer applied to a surface of something for decoration or protection: The dining room table had a walnut veneer which had been highly polished.
3. A superficial appearance or show put on to please or to impress other people; a façade: Michael was just putting on a veneer of friendliness.
This entry is located in the following unit: English Words in Action, Group V (page 1)
veneer (verb), veneers; veneered; veneering
1. To bond a thin layer of a material to the surface of a less attractive or inferior material; such as, coating a thin layer of superior wood glued to a base of inferior wood: The cabinet was veneered in oak.
2. Etymology: a thin layer of fine wood or other material to give an appearance of superior quality from about 1702, borrowed (with loss of r in the unstressed first syllable) from German Furnier, from furnieren, "to cover with a veneer, inlay," from French fournir, "to furnish".

The figurative sense of a merely outward show or appearance of some desirable quality is first recorded in English in 1868; "to cover with a veneer".

This entry is located in the following unit: English Words in Action, Group V (page 1)