Veil \Veil\ (v[=a]l), n. [OE. veile, OF. veile, F. voile, L.
velum a sail, covering, curtain, veil, probably fr. vehere to
bear, carry, and thus originally, that which bears the ship
on. See Vehicle, and cf. Reveal.] [Written also vail.]
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1. Something hung up, or spread out, to intercept the view,
and hide an object; a cover; a curtain; esp., a screen,
usually of gauze, crape, or similar diaphnous material, to
hide or protect the face.
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The veil of the temple was rent in twain. --Matt.
xxvii. 51.
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She, as a veil down to the slender waist,
Her unadorn['e]d golden tresses wore. --Milton.
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2. A cover; a disguise; a mask; a pretense.
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[I will] pluck the borrowed veil of modesty from the
so seeming Mistress Page. --Shak.
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3. (Bot.)
(a) The calyptra of mosses.
(b) A membrane connecting the margin of the pileus of a
mushroom with the stalk; -- called also velum.
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4. (Eccl.) A covering for a person or thing; as, a nun's
veil; a paten veil; an altar veil.
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5. (Zool.) Same as Velum, 3.
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To take the veil (Eccl.), to receive or be covered with, a
veil, as a nun, in token of retirement from the world; to
become a nun.
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Velum \Ve"lum\, n.; pl. Vela. [L., an awning, a veil. See
Veil.]
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1. (Anat.) A curtain or covering; -- applied to various
membranous partitions, especially to the soft palate. See
under Palate.
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2. (Bot.)
(a) See Veil, n., 3
(b) .
(b) A thin membrane surrounding the sporocarps of
quillworts Isoetes).
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3. (Zool.) A veil-like organ or part. Especially:
(a) The circular membrane that partially incloses the
space beneath the umbrella of hydroid medusae.
(b) A delicate funnel-like membrane around the flagellum
of certain Infusoria. See Illust. a of Protozoa.
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