a piece of opaque or transparent material worn over the face for concealment, for protection from the elements, or to enhance the appearance.
a piece of material worn so as to fall over the head and shoulders on each side of the face, forming a part of the headdress of a nun.
the life of a nun, especially a cloistered life.
something that covers, separates, screens, or conceals: a veil of smoke; the veil of death.
a mask, disguise, or pretense: to find fault under a veil of humor.
Botany, Anatomy, Zoology. a velum.
Mycology. a membrane that covers the immature mushroom of many fungi and breaks apart as the mushroom expands, leaving distinctive remnants on the cap, stalk, or stalk base.
Scot.and North England. a caul.
verb (used with object)
to cover or conceal with or as with a veil: She veiled her face in black. A heavy fog veiled the shoreline.
to hide the real nature of; mask; disguise: to veil one's intentions.
verb (used without object)
to don or wear a veil: In certain Islamic countries women must veil.
Idioms for veil
take the veil, to become a nun.
Origin of veil
1175–1225; (noun) Middle English veile<Anglo-French <Latin vēla, neuter plural (taken in VL as feminine singular) of vēlum covering; (v.) Middle English veilen<Anglo-French veiler, derivative of veile
There is a veil of shame and myth regarding the use of cannabis.
Myths and Shame Shouldn’t Guide Cannabis Regulations|John Bertsch|September 8, 2020|Voice of San Diego
In her book, Western Representations of the Muslim Woman, Moja Kahf traces one of the first discussions of the veil in western fiction to the novel Don Quixote.
We Are All Niqabis Now: Coronavirus Masks Reveal Hypocrisy Of Face Covering Bans|LGBTQ-Editor|April 29, 2020|No Straight News
Because one feature of contempt, it strikes me, is that there’s a little bit of a veil of secrecy over it.
What Does Covid-19 Mean for Cities (and Marriages)? (Ep. 410)|Stephen J. Dubner|March 26, 2020|Freakonomics
Mrs. Kouachi works at a nursery and has worn the veil since she made the pilgrimage to Mecca in 2008.
France Mourns—and Hunts|Nico Hines, Christopher Dickey|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
No piece of cloth throughout history has sparked more controversy as the veil.
Saudi Activist Manal Al-Sharif on Why She Removed the Veil|Manal Al Sharif, Advancing Human Rights|October 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If users want to send naughty photos with a veil of privacy, opt for the pixilated shower door filter.
Swipe Right For Sex: Mixxxer Is Tinder for the Porn Star Set|Aurora Snow|October 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When I ask why she wears a veil in a society where it's optional, Sakdiyah explains how it frees her.
Young Muslim Comic Takes On Fundamentalists|Moral Courage|May 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But while the veil of privacy—for better or worse—has been lifted, the stigma still remains.
Coming Out of the Addiction Closet|Abby Haglage|May 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Jessie stood staring, and a veil of thought dropped over her eyes.
The Wheels of Chance|H. G. Wells
It was a curious contrast made by the removal of the ugly bonnet and veil.
The Girl Next Door|Augusta Huiell Seaman
Mrs. Priest nodded graciously to Thea, coquettishly to Bowers, and asked him to untie her veil for her.
Song of the Lark|Willa Cather
Gracefully she raises her veil over her Spanish hood, and advances cautiously, as the old man closes the door behind her.
An Outcast|F. Colburn Adams
Dorothea took the Moorish lady by the hand and leading her to a seat beside herself, requested her to remove her veil.
The History of Don Quixote, Vol. I, Complete|Miguel de Cervantes
British Dictionary definitions for veil (1 of 2)
veil
/ (veɪl) /
noun
a piece of more or less transparent material, usually attached to a hat or headdress, used to conceal or protect a woman's face and head
part of a nun's headdress falling round the face onto the shoulders
something that covers, conceals, or separates; maska veil of reticence
the veilthe life of a nun in a religious order and the obligations entailed by it
take the veilto become a nun
Also called: velumbotanya membranous structure, esp the thin layer of cells connecting the edge of a young mushroom cap with the stipe
anatomy another word for caul
See humeral veil
verb
(tr)to cover, conceal, or separate with or as if with a veil
A membranous covering or part, especially a membrane surrounding the young mushrooms of certain basidiomycete fungi. In some species the membrane (called a partial veil) extends only from the stalk to the cap. As the cap expands, the veil breaks, leaving a ring called an annulus on the stalk and often scalelike pieces on the cap. These veil remnants are important for identifying species of mushrooms.