veil
[noun]
Synonyms:
- cover, blind, cloak, curtain, disguise, film, mask, screen, shroud
[verb]
Synonyms:
- cover, cloak, conceal, disguise, hide, mask, obscure, screen, shield

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Antonyms: unveil
Contrasted words: exhibit, lay (open), open up, reveal, uncover, unmask, bare, expose, show
Related Words: mantle, overspread, spread (over), blanket, curtain, camouflage, cloak, cover (up), disguise, mask, conceal, hide, screen, secrete

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. veil¹ /veɪl/ noun [countable]
[Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old North French; Origin: veile, from Latin vela, plural of velum 'sail, curtain, cloth, veil']

1. a thin piece of material that women wear to cover their faces at formal occasions or for religious reasons:
She lifted her veil with both hands.
a bridal veil

2. the veil the system in Islamic countries in which women must cover their hair and faces in public

3. draw a veil over something formal to avoid talking about something that happened in the past because it is unpleasant or embarrassing:
I think it best to draw a veil over the whole incident.

4. veil of secrecy/deceit/silence etc formal something that hides the truth about a situation:
Watson deserves credit for lifting the veil of secrecy surrounding Brenda’s death.
His pornography was covered by a veil of respectability.

5. veil of mist/cloud/smoke etc a thin layer of mist, cloud etc that makes it difficult to see clearly:
The moon was hidden behind a veil of clouds.

6. take the veil old-fashioned to become a nun

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. veil² verb [transitive]

1. be veiled in mystery/secrecy etc formal if something is veiled in mystery etc, people do not know the truth about it so it seems strange or mysterious:
The details of the evacuation are veiled in secrecy.

2. to cover something with a veil:
A black kerchief modestly veiled her hair.

3. literary to partly hide something so that it cannot be seen clearly:
A fine rain was beginning to veil the hills.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

veil
noun
I. piece of material for covering a woman's head
ADJ. bridal The bridal veil was fringed with lace.
VERB + VEIL wear | lift (back), remove, take off
VEIL + VERB cover sth A veil covered her face.
PREP. behind a/the ~ I couldn't see her face behind the veil.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

veil
II. sth that stops you knowing the full truth about sth
VERB + VEIL lift The government has decided to lift the veil on its plans.
draw It would be better to draw a veil over what happened next (= not talk about it).
PREP. behind/under ~ of The work is carried out behind a veil of secrecy.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲