coates
v.v. the third-person form of 'coat'. You use it when someone or something covers a surface with a thin layer of a substance.
v. the third-person singular present indicative of 'coat'. Refers to the action of applying a thin layer or covering of a substance to a surface.
The chef coats the chicken in flour before frying it.
The technician coats the glass with a special chemical to prevent it from fogging up in the cold.
In the final stage of production, a specialized machine coats the tablets with a sugar-based film to mask their bitter taste and facilitate easier swallowing.
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object representing the surface being covered.
The snow coats on the treesThe snow coats the treesCoat is a transitive verb; it should not be followed by a preposition like 'on' when describing the surface being covered.