Veil
/veɪl/
nounverbB2
Definition
As a noun, a veil is a thin cloth that covers the face or head, often used for special occasions or cultural reasons. As a verb, to veil means to cover or hide something, either physically or in a way that makes it less clear or secret.
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See It in Action
Noun: A thin cloth covering, usually worn on the head or face
- •The bride wore a beautiful veil during the wedding ceremony.
- •She lifted the veil to reveal her smiling face.
- •In some cultures, women wear a veil as a sign of modesty.
Verb: To cover or hide something in a way that is not clear or complete
- •The mountain was veiled in clouds, making it hard to see.
- •His true feelings were veiled by a calm expression.
- •The story was veiled in mystery, leaving readers curious.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "veil" like "cover," but lighter and more delicate, like a thin cloth that lets some light through
- ✓Picture a bride wearing a soft, white cloth over her face that hides her expression but still shows her shape
- ✓It's the feeling when something is hidden but you know it’s there, like fog covering a mountain peak
- ✓Sounds like "veil" → imagine a "veil" of mist slowly covering a quiet lake in the morning
- ✓In stories, a veil often hides secrets or changes what people can see, adding mystery
- ✓NOT like "curtain" (thick and blocks everything), a veil is thin and partly see-through
- ✓NOT like "mask" (solid and changes appearance), a veil is soft and transparent
- ✓As a verb, NOT like "hide" (fully block), to veil means to partly cover or make unclear, not completely remove from view
Try Other Words
- •Mask: to hide or cover completely (Use when something is fully hidden or changed)
- •Shroud: to cover completely, often in a dark or mysterious way (Use for more serious or secretive covering)
- •Screen: to block or hide from view (Use when hiding is for protection or privacy)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no prefix or suffix) root word "veil"
- •Etymology: From Old French "veil" or "veile," from Latin "vela," meaning "sails" or "cloth covering"
- •Historical development: Originally meant cloth used to cover or protect, later used for face or head coverings, and then metaphorically for hiding or covering ideas
- •Modern usage: Used for physical cloth coverings and figurative meanings of hiding or making unclear
Reflect & Connect
•How can a veil change the way we see a person or a situation?
•Can something be veiled without being completely hidden? How does that affect our understanding?
Fill in the blanks
1.The bride lifted her veil to ___ her face during the ceremony.
2.The valley was veiled in ___, making it hard to see the river below.
3.His sadness was veiled by a ___ smile that hid his true feelings.
4.A veil is different from a mask because it ___ some parts but does not fully cover.
5.When a story is veiled in mystery, it means important details are ___.
6.The morning fog veiled the city, making the tall buildings ___ in the distance.
7.She used a thin scarf to veil her hair, showing respect in ___ culture.