Category:Mantle

Man"tle, n. Etym: [OE. mantel, OF. mantel, F. manteau, fr. L. mantellum, mantelum, a cloth, napkin, cloak, mantle (cf. mantele, mantile, towel, napkin); prob. from manus hand + the root of tela cloth. See Manual, Textile, and cf. Mandil, Mantel, Mantilla.]

1. A loose garment to be worn over other garments; an enveloping robe; a cloak. Hence, figuratively, a covering or concealing envelope. [The] children are clothed with mantles of satin. Bacon. The green mantle of the standing pool. Shak. Now Nature hangs her mantle green On every blooming tree. Burns.

2. (Her.)

Defn: Same as Mantling.

3. (Zoöl.) (a) The external fold, or folds, of the soft, exterior membrane of the body of a mollusk. It usually forms a cavity inclosing the gills. See Illusts. of Buccinum, and Byssus. (b) Any free, outer membrane. (c) The back of a bird together with the folded wings.

4. (Arch.)

Defn: A mantel. See Mantel.

5. The outer wall and casing of a blast furnace, above the hearth. Raymond.

6. (Hydraulic Engin.)

Defn: A penstock for a water wheel.

mantle Man"tle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mantled; p. pr. & vb. n. Mantling.]

Defn: To cover or envelop, as with a mantle; to cloak; to hide; to disguise. Shak.

mantle Man"tle, v. i.

1. To unfold and spread out the wings, like a mantle; -- said of hawks. Also used figuratively. Ne is there hawk which mantleth on her perch. Spenser. Or tend his sparhawk mantling in her mew. Bp. Hall. My frail fancy fed with full delight. Doth bathe in bliss, and mantleth most at ease. Spenser.

2. To spread out; -- said of wings. The swan, with arched neck Between her white wings mantling proudly, rows. Milton.

3. To spread over the surface as a covering; to overspread; as, the scum mantled on the pool. Though mantled in her cheek the blood. Sir W. Scott.

4. To gather, assume, or take on, a covering, as froth, scum, etc. There is a sort of men whose visages Do cream and mantle like a standing pond. Shak. Nor bowl of wassail mantle warm. Tennyson.

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---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Mantle - (1.) Heb. 'addereth, a large over-garment. This word is used of Elijah's mantle (1 Kings 19:13, 1 Kings 19:19; 2 Kings 2:8, 2 Kings 2:13, etc.), which was probably a sheepskin. It appears to have been his only garment, a strip of skin or leather binding it to his loins. 'Addereth twice occurs with the epithet "hairy" (Genesis 25:25; Zechariah 13:4, R.V.). It is the word denoting the "goodly Babylonish garment" which Achan coveted (Joshua 7:21). (2.) Heb. me'il, frequently applied to the "robe of the ephod" (Exodus 28:4, Exodus 28:31; Leviticus 8:7), which was a splendid under tunic wholly of blue, reaching to below the knees. It was woven without seam, and was put on by being drawn over the head. It was worn not only by priests but by kings (1 Samuel 24:4), prophets (1 Samuel 15:27), and rich men (Job 1:20; Job 2:12). This was the "little coat" which Samuel's mother brought to him from year to year to Shiloh (1 Samuel 2:19), a miniature of the official priestly robe. (3.) Semikah, "a rug," the garment which Jael threw as a covering over Sisera (Judges 4:18). The Hebrew word occurs nowhere else in Scripture. (4.) Maataphoth, plural, only in Isaiah 3:22, denoting a large exterior tunic worn by females. (See DRESS.)