3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Veil  \Veil\  (v[=a]l),  n.  [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 
  unadorn['e]d  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.)  A  covering  for  a  person  or  thing  as  a  nun's 
  veil;  a  paten  veil;  an  altar  veil. 
 
  5.  (Zo["o]l.)  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. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Velum  \Ve"lum\,  n.;  pl  {Vela}.  [L.,  an  awning,  a  veil.  See 
  {Veil}.] 
  1.  (Anat.)  Curtain  or  covering;  --  applied  to  various 
  membranous  partitions,  especially  to  the  soft  palate.  See 
  under  {Palate}. 
 
  2.  (Bot.) 
  a  See  {Veil},  n.,  3 
  b  . 
  b  A  thin  membrane  surrounding  the  sporocarps  of 
  quillworts  {Isoetes}). 
 
  3.  (Zo["o]l.)  A  veil-like  organ  or  part  Especially: 
  a  The  circular  membrane  that  partially  incloses  the 
  space  beneath  the  umbrella  of  hydroid  medus[ae]. 
  b  A  delicate  funnel-like  membrane  around  the  flagellum 
  of  certain  Infusoria.  See  Illust.  a  of  {Protozoa}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  velum 
  n  1:  membrane  of  the  young  sporophore  of  various  mushrooms 
  extending  from  the  margin  of  the  cap  to  the  stem  and  is 
  ruptured  by  growth;  represented  in  mature  mushroom  by  an 
  annulus  around  the  stem  and  sometimes  a  cortina  on  the 
  margin  of  the  cap  [syn:  {partial  veil}] 
  2:  membrane  initially  completely  investing  the  young  sporophore 
  of  various  mushrooms  that  is  ruptured  by  growth; 
  represented  in  the  mature  mushroom  by  a  volva  around  lower 
  part  of  stem  and  scales  on  upper  surface  of  the  cap  [syn: 
  {universal  veil}] 
  3:  a  muscular  flap  that  closes  off  the  nasopharynx  during 
  swallowing  or  speaking  [syn:  {soft  palate}] 

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