Etymology From Middle English veil, veyl, from Anglo-Norman and Old Northern French veil (“sail, veil, shroud”) (Francien Old French voil, French voile), Latin vēlum (“cloth, covering”). Displaced Middle English scleire, scleyre, sleyre, slyre (“veil”) (compare German Schleier). Doublet of velum and voile.
Something hung up or spread out to hide or protect the face, or hide an object from view; usually of gauze, crepe, or similar diaphanous material.
The veil of the temple was rent in twain.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 27:51:
She, as a veil down to the slender waist, / Her unadorned golden tresses wore.1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
2
Figuratively Anything that partially obscures a clear view.
Above the smoky veil over the town rose Akerhus fort, with its towers standing out in sharp relief against the mirror of the fjord, beyond where the Nœs point loomed as a black shadow.1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 160:
3
A cover; disguise; a mask; a pretense.
[I will] pluck the borrowed veil of modesty from the so seeming Mistress Page.c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii]:
Beckett complains that "in the forest of symbols" there is never quiet, and longs to break through the veil of language to silence.2007, John Zerzan, Silence, page 4:
4
A covering for a person or thing; as, a caul (especially over the head)
Biology, Natural sciences, Zoology velum (A circular membrane round the cap of a medusa).
7
Biology, Mycology, Natural sciences A thin layer of tissue which is attached to or covers a mushroom.
8
Biology, Mycology, Natural sciences A membrane connecting the margin of the pileus of a mushroom with the stalk; a velum.
The genus Amanita has both a volva and a veil; the spores are white, and the stem is easily separable from the cap.1903, George Francis Atkinson, chapter VI, in Studies of American Fungi. Mushrooms, Edible, Poisonous, etc., 2nd edition, New York: Henry Holt:
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An obscuration of the clearness of the tones in pronunciation.
"I have heard most furious bigots talking through the veil." "So have I, for that matter," said Malone, "and in this very room."1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:
Etymology From Middle English veil, veyl, from Anglo-Norman and Old Northern French veil (“sail, veil, shroud”) (Francien Old French voil, French voile), Latin vēlum (“cloth, covering”). Displaced Middle English scleire, scleyre, sleyre, slyre (“veil”) (compare German Schleier). Doublet of velum and voile.
1
To dress in, or decorate with, a veil.
I'm under surface Towers veiled in silk I guess I'm not welcome In this house they built2018, “White Hot”, performed by Loathe:
2
To conceal as with a veil.
The forest fire was veiled by smoke, but I could hear it clearly.