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veil

Syllabification: (veil)
Pronunciation: /vāl/

Translate veil | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of veil

noun

  • a piece of fine material worn by women to protect or conceal the face:a white bridal veil
  • a piece of linen or other fabric forming part of a nun’s headdress, resting on the head and shoulders.
  • a thing that conceals, disguises, or obscures something:shrouded in an eerie veil of mist
  • Botany a membrane that is attached to the immature fruiting body of some toadstools and ruptures in the course of development, either ( universal veil) enclosing the whole fruiting body or ( partial veil) joining the edges of the cap to the stalk.
  • (in Jewish antiquity) the piece of precious cloth separating the sanctuary from the body of the Temple or the Tabernacle.

verb

[with object]
  • cover with or as though with a veil:she veiled her face
  • (usually as adjective veiled) partially conceal, disguise, or obscure:a thinly veiled threat

Phrases

beyond the veil

in a mysterious or hidden place or state, especially the unknown state of life after death.

draw a veil over

avoid discussing or calling attention to (something), especially because it is embarrassing or unpleasant.

take the veil

become a nun.

Derivatives

veilless

adjective

Origin:

Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French veil(e), from Latin vela, plural of velum (see velum)

veil in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of veil in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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