tarpaulin

noun

1. (countable)A heavy, waterproof sheet of material, often cloth or plastic sheet, used as a cover or blanket (often as weatherproofing, or to keep loose cargo from blowing off a lorry).

   “Throw a tarpaulin over that woodpile before it gets wet.”

   “There were sailors asleep in the fantastic fashion of the British tarpaulin — snoring heavily as they lay on the bare deck, despite the din about them.”

2. (archaic, uncountable)Canvas waterproofed with tar, used as a cover.
3. (archaic, countable, uncountable)A hat made of, or covered with, painted or tarred cloth, worn by sailors and others.

   “Near-synonym: rain hat”

4. (archaic, countable, slang)A sailor.

verb

1. To cover with a tarpaulin.

   “"Cover it up! Don't touch it!" said the Professor. So we tarpaulined it according to his instructions, and there it lies.”