mask

mask [mask, mäsk]

n.

[Fr masque < It maschera, mascara, a mask, prob. < Ar maskhara, a clown, buffoonery]

1. a covering for the face or part of the face, to conceal the identity

2. anything that conceals or disguises

3. a party, carnival, etc. where masks are worn; masquerade

4. a person wearing a mask; masker

5. a likeness of a person's face, or face and neck; specif.,

a) a sculptured or molded likeness of the face: cf. DEATH MASK

b) a grotesque or comic representation of a face, worn to amuse or frighten, as at Halloween

c) a sculptured head or face, often grotesque, used as an ornament, as on a building

d) a figure of a head worn on the stage by an ancient Greek or Roman actor to identify a character and amplify the voice

6. a protective covering for the face or head, as a wire screen [fencer's mask] or respirator [gas mask]

7.

a) a covering for the mouth and nose used in administering an anesthetic or oxygen

b) a piece of gauze, etc. worn over the mouth and nose of a surgeon, etc. to prevent infection of a patient, instruments, etc. by exhaled matter

8. a strip of darker color across an animal's eyes, as in the raccoon

9. something serving to conceal artillery, military operations, etc. from observation

10. an opaque or translucent material used to modify the exposure of selected areas of a photograph

11. MASQUE (senses 2 & 3)

12. Zool. a masklike formation about the head, as the enlarged lower lip of a dragonfly larva

vt.

1. to conceal or cover with or as with a mask

2. to conceal or disguise

3. to make (a sound, smell, taste, etc.) less noticeable

4. to protect by covering as with masking tape

vi.

1. to put on a mask, as for a masquerade

2. to hide or disguise one's true motives, character, etc.