Meaning & use
veil
Last updated
UK/veɪl/
US/veɪl/
Meanings
nouncountable
A thin piece of cloth worn over the face or head.
Grammar: Countable.
Patterns
- wear a veil
The bride wore a lace veil.
She lifted her veil.
Some women wear a veil for religious reasons.
nounsingularfigurative
Something that hides or covers.
Grammar: Usually a veil of something.
Patterns
- a veil of something
A veil of mist covered the valley.
The meeting took place under a veil of secrecy.
verbtransitive
To cover or hide partly.
Grammar: Takes an object.
Patterns
- veil something in something
Clouds veiled the moon.
He veiled his anger with a smile.
Word forms
| plural | veils |
|---|---|
| third person singular | veils |
| past tense | veiled |
| past participle | veiled |
| -ing form | veiling |
Common combinations
- veil of secrecy
- A veil of secrecy.
- wedding veil
- A wedding veil.
- thinly veiled
- A thinly veiled threat.
- draw a veil over
- Draw a veil over it.
- lift the veil
- Lift the veil.
Synonyms and how they differ
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: veil or vale? veil or vein?
veil vs vale
A vale is a valley.
veil vs vein
A vein carries blood.
Practice
A thinly veiled threat is one that is:
Choose one answer.
Thinly veiled means hardly hidden.
Make it your own
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