Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense disguises, present participle disguising, past tense, past participle disguised
1. variable noun [oft inNOUN]
If you are indisguise, you are not wearing your usual clothes or you have altered your appearance in other ways, so that people will not recognize you.
You'll have to travel in disguise.
He was wearing that ridiculous disguise.
She's adopted so many disguises her own mother wouldn't recognize her.
2. verb
If you disguiseyourself, you put on clothes which make you look like someone else or alter your appearance in other ways, so that people will notrecognize you.
She disguised herself as a man so she could fight on the battlefield. [V pron-refl + as]
[Also VERB pronoun-reflexive]
disguisedadjective [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE]
The extremists entered the building disguised as medical workers. [+ as]
I was heavily disguised.
Synonyms: false, assumed, pretend, artificial More Synonyms of disguise
Synonyms: covert, hidden, concealed, sly More Synonyms of disguise
Synonyms: in disguise, masked, camouflaged, undercover More Synonyms of disguise
3. verb
To disguise something means to hide it or make it appear different so that people will not know about it or will not recognize it.
He made no attempt to disguise his agitation. [VERB noun]
Their healthy image disguises the fact that they are highly processed foods. [VERB noun]
I played along, and disguised my voice. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: hide, cover, conceal, screen More Synonyms of disguise
disguisedadjective
This is lust thinly disguised as love. [+ as]
Synonyms: false, assumed, pretend, artificial More Synonyms of disguise
Synonyms: covert, hidden, concealed, sly More Synonyms of disguise
Synonyms: in disguise, masked, camouflaged, undercover More Synonyms of disguise
4. a blessing in disguise
More Synonyms of disguise
disguise in British English
(dɪsˈɡaɪz)
verb
1.
to modify the appearance or manner in order to conceal the identity of (oneself, someone, or something)
2. (transitive)
to misrepresent in order to obscure the actual nature or meaning
to disguise the facts
noun
3.
a mask, costume, or manner that disguises
4.
the act of disguising or the state of being disguised
Derived forms
disguisable (disˈguisable)
adjective
disguised (disˈguised)
adjective
disguisedly (dɪsˈɡaɪzɪdlɪ)
adverb
disguiser (disˈguiser)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Old French desguisier, from des-dis-1 + guise manner; see guise
disguise in American English
(dɪsˈgaɪz)
verb transitiveWord forms: disˈguised or disˈguising
1.
to make appear, sound, etc. different from usual so as to be unrecognizable
to disguise one's voice
2.
to hide or obscure the existence or real nature of
to disguise an emotion
3. Obsolete
to alter or disfigure
noun
4.
any clothes, equipment, manner, etc. used for disguising
5.
the state of being disguised
6.
the act or practice of disguising
Also ; Rare disˈguisement
Derived forms
disguisedly (disˈguisedly) (dɪsˈgaɪzɪdli)
adverb
disguiser (disˈguiser)
noun
Word origin
ME disgisen < OFr desguiser, to change costume: see di-1 & guise
More idioms containing
disguise
a blessing in disguise
Examples of 'disguise' in a sentence
disguise
A couple of reindeer skins and a mattress do not disguise the fact that the bed is a block of ice.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It's probably easier to get the target to click onto a PDF if it is disguised as something the individual might be interested in.
Computing (2010)
Watch out for sugar in disguise under different names.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Stress comes in many guises and disguises.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
He bowls it with control as well as disguise.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There was thinly disguised contempt around the table.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It is often disguised by paint or a protective coating.
The Sun (2008)
That should not disguise the fact that big changes are needed.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
They just reappear periodically in a different disguise.
Christianity Today (2000)
Remember that many criticisms are disguised as questions or apparently caring comments!
Lindenfield, Gael 50 Ways to Become a Self-Confident Woman (1989)
It is often disguised by a fixation on fitness and macho talk about healthy eating.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It is an offence to enter into any arrangement to conceal or disguise the source of a gift.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Both times they were heavily disguised in wigs and sunglasses and bundled into the detached garage when visitors called.
The Sun (2013)
But a string of losing bets led him to conceal funds and disguise increasingly risky activities from his managers.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
She would stoop to blend in with her friends and always tried to dress in clothes that disguised her skinny frame.
The Sun (2010)
He just disguises them very well.
The Sun (2014)
Some companies strive to hide or disguise disparities, but these soon leak out.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Many of the contributions were raw slices of life, barely disguised as fiction.
various & introduction by Deirdre Chapman A Roomful of Birds - Scottish short stories 1990 (1990)
They are a disguised disguise, masks in plain sight.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Third, there is heavily disguised favouritism.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He uses nonsense to disguise the fact that he hasn't anything to say.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
By the end of that year, it became imperative to adopt a disguise to hide my blonde hair and blue eyes.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
They worried constantly; food was tainted or too rich; those sauces were disguising something suspicious.
The Times Literary Supplement (2012)
There will always be a fringe appetite for a freak show, especially one involving celebs, but a freak show is more palatable when disguised as something else.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
In other languages
disguise
British English: disguise /dɪsˈɡaɪz/ VERB
If you disguise yourself , you put on clothes which make you look like someone else or alter your appearance in other ways, so that people will not recognize you.
The robber was disguised as a medical worker.
American English: disguise
Arabic: يَتَنَكَّرُ
Brazilian Portuguese: disfarçar
Chinese: 掩饰
Croatian: prerušiti se
Czech: převléci se za účelem utajení
Danish: forklæde iføre sig forklædning
Dutch: vermommen
European Spanish: disfrazar
Finnish: naamioida
French: se déguiser
German: unkenntlich machen
Greek: μεταμφιέζομαι
Italian: mascherarsi
Japanese: 変装する
Korean: 위장하다
Norwegian: forkle
Polish: przebrać
European Portuguese: disfarçar
Romanian: a deghiza
Russian: переодевать
Latin American Spanish: disfrazar
Swedish: förkläda
Thai: ปลอมตัว
Turkish: kılık değiştirmek
Ukrainian: маскуватися
Vietnamese: cải trang
British English: disguise NOUN
If you are in disguise, you are not wearing your usual clothes or you have altered your appearance in other ways, so that people will not recognize you.