veil

veil — 名詞

1. a piece of see-through or light fabric that a woman wears over her face or head,

1.名詞B1
釋義

面紗

覆蓋臉部的薄布料

a piece of see-through or light fabric that a woman wears over her face or head, often for religious, cultural, or ceremonial reasons

例句

Sumin wore a white veil over her face during the wedding ceremony.

蘇敏在婚禮儀式上戴著白色面紗。

collocation: wedding veil / bridal veil

In some cultures, the bride's veil is lifted by the groom after the marriage vows.

在某些文化中，新娘的面紗由新郎在婚禮誓言後掀開。

passive: lifted by [person] after [event]

同義詞
  • headscarf

    worn to cover the hair, not the face

  • mantilla

    a Spanish-style lace veil worn over the head and shoulders

常見錯誤

❌The robber wore a black veil over his face.
✅The robber wore a black mask over his face.
💡a veil is thin and semi-transparent, while a mask fully hides the face.

2. the state or way of life that comes from entering a convent and becoming a nun,

2.名詞C1
釋義

修女身分

成為修女的過程或狀態

the state or way of life that comes from entering a convent and becoming a nun, marked by the ceremony of taking the veil

例句

After ten years of prayer and service, Sister Eve finally took the veil.

經過十年的祈禱和服務後，伊芙修女終於出家成為修女。

fixed phrase: take the veil

The documentary follows three young women who decide to take the veil.

這部紀錄片跟拍了三位決定出家為修女的年輕女性。

同義詞

用法筆記

Used only in the fixed phrase 'take the veil.' This sense is predominantly found in historical or religious contexts about Catholic and Anglican traditions.

3. the practice of a Muslim woman choosing to cover her head or face with a scarf o

3.名詞B2
釋義

戴頭巾

穆斯林婦女表達信仰的頭部覆蓋

the practice of a Muslim woman choosing to cover her head or face with a scarf or similar garment as an expression of her faith

例句

Saira decided to adopt the veil after her pilgrimage to Mecca last year.

賽拉在去年前往麥加朝聖後，決定佩戴頭巾。

collocation: adopt the veil

Many schools in the region now allow girls to wear the veil if they choose.

該地區的許多學校現在允許女生自行選擇是否戴頭巾。

同義詞
  • hijab

    specifically a headscarf that covers the hair and neck, leaving the face visible

  • niqab

    a face veil that leaves only the eyes visible

  • burqa

    a full-body covering including a mesh screen over the eyes

用法筆記

In modern usage, more specific terms such as 'hijab,' 'niqab,' or 'burqa' are often preferred. 'Veil' is a broader, less precise term for Muslim head and face coverings.

常見錯誤

❌She wore a veil to keep her head warm in winter.
✅She wore a beanie to keep her head warm in winter.
💡a veil is typically worn for religious or cultural reasons, not for warmth.

4. a thin layer of something such as fog, cloud, smoke, or dust that covers an area

4.名詞B2
釋義

薄層

遮擋視線的薄層物質

a thin layer of something such as fog, cloud, smoke, or dust that covers an area and makes it difficult to see through

例句

A light veil of mist covered the harbour, hiding the boats from view.

一層薄霧籠罩著港口，將船隻都遮住了。

pattern: a veil of [fog/mist/smoke/dust]

The morning fog formed a soft veil over the rice fields in the valley.

晨霧在山谷的稻田上方形成了一層輕柔的薄紗。

同義詞
  • layer

    neutral term without the obscuring connotation

  • haze

    specifically a light mist or smoke that blurs the view

  • screen

    something that separates or shields, often more solid

文法句型

a veil of + noun

用法筆記

Frequently used with natural phenomena (fog, mist, smoke, dust) in the pattern 'a veil of + noun.' Unlike sense 1, this does not refer to a piece of fabric but to any obscuring layer.

常見錯誤

❌She pulled the veil across the window to block the sunlight.
✅She pulled the curtain across the window to block the sunlight.
💡a veil in this sense describes a natural layer, not a physical cloth hanging in a window.

5. something that hides the truth or stops people from understanding what is really

5.名詞B2
釋義

掩飾；迷霧

隱瞞真相的事物

something that hides the truth or stops people from understanding what is really happening in a situation

例句

The company's financial dealings were hidden behind a veil of secrecy for years.

該公司的財務運作多年來一直隱藏在祕密的迷霧背後。

collocation: veil of secrecy

The police tried to lift the veil of silence that surrounded the missing child's case.

警方試圖揭開圍繞失蹤兒童案件的沉默面紗。

collocation: lift the veil of [silence/mystery]

同義詞
  • cloak

    suggests deliberate concealment, often of motives

  • shroud

    implies a heavier, more complete covering, often linked to death or mystery

  • mask

    a false appearance that hides true feelings or intentions

反義詞

文法句型

a veil of + abstract noun

用法筆記

Common in the pattern 'a veil of + abstract noun' (secrecy, silence, mystery, ignorance). Unlike sense 4, which involves physical obscuring, this sense is about hiding information or truth.

6. to choose not to talk any further about a particular topic because it is embarra

6.名詞C1
釋義

避而不談

停止討論敏感話題

to choose not to talk any further about a particular topic because it is embarrassing, painful, or likely to cause disagreement

例句

After the argument, the family decided to draw a veil over what was said.

爭吵過後，這家人決定對說過的話避而不談。

fixed phrase: draw a veil over [something]

Mark suggested they draw a veil over the incident and focus on the future instead.

馬克建議他們對那件事避而不談，專注於未來。

同義詞
  • hush up

    informal, implies deliberately keeping something secret

  • gloss over

    to treat a problem as less serious than it is

  • sweep under the rug

    informal idiom, to hide a problem rather than deal with it

反義詞
  • bring up

    to start discussing a topic

  • air

    to express opinions publicly about a sensitive matter

文法句型

draw a veil over + noun

用法筆記

Used only in the fixed phrase 'draw a veil over something.' This is a more formal, idiomatic way of saying 'stop discussing,' common in British English and often found in written or formal spoken contexts.

常見錯誤

❌They drew a veil over the painting.
✅They drew a curtain over the painting.
💡'draw a veil over' is only used figuratively for stopping discussion, not for physically moving fabric.

veil — 動詞