Velum

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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}.]
     [1913 Webster]
     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.
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              The veil of the temple was rent in twain. --Matt.
                                                    xxvii. 51.
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              She, as a veil down to the slender waist,
              Her unadorn['e]d golden tresses wore. --Milton.
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     2. A cover; a disguise; a mask; a pretense.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              [I will] pluck the borrowed veil of modesty from the
              so seeming Mistress Page.             --Shak.
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     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}.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     4. (Eccl.) A covering for a person or thing; as, a nun's
        veil; a paten veil; an altar veil.
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     5. (Zool.) Same as {Velum}, 3.
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     {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.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Velum \Ve"lum\, n.; pl. {Vela}. [L., an awning, a veil. See
     {Veil}.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. (Anat.) A curtain or covering; -- applied to various
        membranous partitions, especially to the soft palate. See
        under {Palate}.
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     2. (Bot.)
        (a) See {Veil}, n., 3
        (b) .
        (b) A thin membrane surrounding the sporocarps of
            quillworts {Isoetes}).
            [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Zool.) A veil-like organ or part. Especially:
        (a) The circular membrane that partially incloses the
            space beneath the umbrella of hydroid medusae.
        (b) A delicate funnel-like membrane around the flagellum
            of certain Infusoria. See Illust. a of {Protozoa}.
            [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [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}]
       [also: {vela} (pl)]