veil

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman, Old Northern French veile (Francien Old French voile, French voile), from Latin vēla, nominative plural of vēlum.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /veɪl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪl
• Homophones: vale, vail

Noun

veil (plural veils)

1. Something hung up or spread out to hide or protect the face, or hide an object from view; usually of gauze, crape, or similar diaphanous material.
   • Bible, Matthew xxvii. 51

     The veil of the temple was rent in twain.

   • Milton

     She, as a veil down to the slender waist, / Her unadorned golden tresses wore.

2. A cover; disguise; a mask; a pretense.
   • Shakespeare

     [I will] pluck the borrowed veil of modesty from the so seeming Mistress Page.

   • 2007. Zerzan, John. Silence. p. 4.

     Beckett complains that "in the forest of symbols" there is never quiet, and longs to break through the veil of language to silence.

3. The calyptra of mosses.
4. A membrane connecting the margin of the pileus of a mushroom with the stalk; a velum.
5. A covering for a person or thing; as, a caul (especially over the head)

   a nun's veil

   a paten veil

   an altar veil

   Muslim woman often cover their face with a veil.

6. (zoology) velum (A circular membrane round the cap of medusa)
7. (mycology) A thin layer of tissue which is attached to or covers a mushroom.

Verb

veil (third-person singular simple present veils, present participle veiling, simple past and past participle veiled)

1. To put on, or decorate with, a veil.
2. To conceal as with a veil.

   The forest fire was veiled by smoke, but I could hear it clearly.

Anagrams

• Levi, Viel, evil, live, vile, vlei

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Verb

veil

1. first-person singular present indicative of veilen
2. imperative of veilen

Adjective

veil (comparative veiler, superlative veilst)

1. venal

   Een veile vrouw. — A venal woman.

Anagrams

• viel, vlei