Category:Veil

Veil, n. Etym: [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.]

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. The veil of the temple was rent in twain. Matt. xxvii. 51. She, as a veil down to the slender waist, her unadornéd golden Tresses wore. Milton.

2. A cover; disguise; a mask; a pretense. [i will] pluck the borrowed veil of modesty from the so seeming Mistress page. Shak.

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.

4. (eccl.)

Defn: a covering for a person or thing; as, a nun's veil; a paten Veil; an altar veil.

5. (zoöl.)

Defn: same as velum, 3. 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.

Veil Veil, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Veiled; p. pr. & vb. n. Veiling.] Etym: [cf. Of. veler, f. voiler, l. velarc. See veil, n.] [written also Vail.]

1. To throw a veil over; to cover with a veil. Her face was veiled; yet to my fancied sight, love, sweetness, Goodness, in her person shined. Milton.

2. Fig.: To invest; to cover; to hide; to conceal. To keep your great pretenses veiled. Shak.

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---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Veil - Or vail (1.) Heb. mitpahath (Ruth 3:15; marg., "sheet" or "apron;" R.V., "mantle"). In Isaiah 3:22 this word is plural, rendered "wimples;" R.V., "shawls" i.e., wraps. (2.) Massekah (Isaiah 25:7; in Isaiah 28:20 rendered "covering"). The word denotes something spread out and covering or concealing something else (compare 2 Corinthians 3:13). (3.) Masveh (Exodus 34:33, Exodus 34:35), the veil on the face of Moses. This verse should be read, "And when Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face," as in the Revised Category:Version. When Moses spoke to them he was without the veil; only when he ceased speaking he put on the veil (compare 2 Corinthians 3:13, etc.). (4.) Paroheth (Exodus 26:31), the veil of the tabernacle and the temple, which hung between the holy place and the most holy (2 Chronicles 3:14). In the temple a partition wall separated these two places. In it were two folding-doors, which are supposed to have been always open, the entrance being concealed by the veil which the high priest lifted when he entered into the sanctuary on the day of Atonement. This veil was rent when Christ died on the cross (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45). (5.) Tzaiph (Genesis 24:65). Rebekah "took a vail and covered herself." (See also Genesis 38:14, Genesis 38:19.) Hebrew women generally appeared in public without veils (Genesis 12:14; Genesis 24:16; Genesis 29:10; 1 Samuel 1:12). (6.) Radhidh (Song of Songs 5:7, R.V. "mantle;" Isaiah 3:23). The word probably denotes some kind of cloak or wrapper. (7.) Masak, the veil which hung before the entrance to the holy place (Exodus 26:36, Exodus 26:37).