It's all in the "-ING"

(from Sara Groves' Past the Wishing)

-ING: 

- action or process <running, sleeping>: 

- instance of an action or process <a meeting>

- product or result of an action or process <an engraving>

- something used in an action or process

<a bed covering> <the lining of a coat>

- action or process connected with (a specified thing) <boating>

- something connect with, consisting of,

or used in making (a specified thing) <scaffolding>  <shirting>

- something related to (a specified concept) <offing>

- one of a (specified) kind <sweeting>

- used to form the present participle <sailing>

and sometimes to form an adjective resembling

a present participle but not derived from a verb <swashbuckling>

definitions courtesy of Webster's

It's all in the -ing.