Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense masks, present participle masking, past tense, past participle masked
1. countable noun
A mask is a piece of cloth or other material, which you wear over your face so that peoplecannot see who you are, or so that you look like someone or something else.
The gunman, whose mask had slipped, fled.
...actors wearing masks.
2. countable noun
A mask is a piece of cloth or other material that you wear over all or part of your faceto protect you from germs or harmful substances.
You must wear goggles and a mask that will protect you against the fumes.
She wore a surgical mask and rubber gloves while she worked with the samples.
Synonyms: face mask, visor, eye mask, surgical mask More Synonyms of mask
3. countable noun
If you describe someone's behaviour as a mask, you mean that they do not show their real feelings or character.
His mask of detachment cracked, and she saw for an instant an angry and violent man. [+ of]
Synonyms: façade, disguise, show, front [informal] More Synonyms of mask
4. countable noun
A mask is a thick cream or paste made of various substances, which you spread over your face and leave for some timein order to improve your skin.
This mask leaves your complexion feeling soft and supple.
5. verb
If you mask your feelings, you deliberately do not show them in your behaviour, so that peoplecannot know what you really feel.
Mr Straw has, in public at least, masked his disappointment. [VERB noun]
6. verb
If one thing masks another, it prevents people from noticing or recognizing the other thing.
A thick grey cloud masked the sun. [VERB noun]
Too much salt masks the true flavour of the food. [VERB noun]
The healthy trade figures mask a much gloomier picture. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: disguise, hide, conceal, obscure More Synonyms of mask
7. See also death mask, gas mask, oxygen mask
More Synonyms of mask
mask in British English
(mɑːsk)
noun
1.
any covering for the whole or a part of the face worn for amusement, protection, disguise, etc
2.
a fact, action, etc, that conceals something
his talk was a mask for his ignorance
3. another name for masquerade
4.
a likeness of a face or head, either sculpted or moulded, such as a death mask
5.
an image of a face worn by an actor, esp in ancient Greek and Roman drama, in order to symbolize the character being portrayed
6. a variant spelling of masque
7. surgery
a sterile gauze covering for the nose and mouth worn esp during operations to minimize the spread of germs
8. sport
a protective covering for the face worn for fencing, ice hockey, etc
9.
a carving in the form of a face or head, used as an ornament
10.
a natural land feature or artificial object which conceals troops, etc, from view
11.
a device placed over the nose and mouth to facilitate or prevent inhalation of a gas
12. photography
a shield of paper, paint, etc, placed over an area of unexposed photographic surface to stop light falling on it
13. electronics
a thin sheet of material from which a pattern has been cut, placed over a semiconductor chip so that an integrated circuit can be formed on the exposed areas
14. computing
a bit pattern which, by convolution with a second pattern in a logical operation, can be used to isolate a specific subset of the second pattern for examination
15. entomology
a large prehensile mouthpart (labium) of the dragonfly larva
16.
the face or head of an animal, such as a fox, or the dark coloration of the face of some animals, such as Siamese cats and certain dogs
17. another word for face pack
18. rare
a person wearing a mask
verb
19.
to cover with or put on a mask
20. (transitive)
to conceal; disguise
to mask an odour
21. (transitive) photography
to shield a particular area of (an unexposed photographic surface) in order to preventor reduce the action of light there
22. (transitive)
to shield a particular area of (a surface to be painted) with masking tape
23. (transitive)
to cover (cooked food, esp meat) with a savoury sauce or glaze
24. a Scottish variant of mash (sense 8)
Derived forms
masklike (ˈmaskˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
C16: from Italian maschera, ultimately from Arabic maskharah clown, from sakhira mockery
mask in American English
(mæsk; mɑsk)
noun
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
see also 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 (sense 2) masque (sense 3)
12. Zoology
a masklike formation about the head, as the enlarged lower lip of a dragonfly larva
verb transitive
13.
to conceal or cover with or as with a mask
14.
to conceal or disguise
15.
to make (a sound, smell, taste, etc.) less noticeable
16.
to protect by covering as with masking tape
verb intransitive
17.
to put on a mask, as for a masquerade
18.
to hide or disguise one's true motives, character, etc.
Word origin
Fr masque < It maschera, mascara, a mask, prob. < Ar maskhara, a clown, buffoonery
Image of
mask
Shutterstock
Examples of 'mask' in a sentence
mask
We place our gas masks on the dashboard.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Using the brush provided you apply the mask to the face and neck using an upwards and outwards sweeping motion.
The Sun (2016)
Put on a face mask for 20 minutes.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Dust off the gas mask.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I hope they don't wear masks as well.
The Sun (2016)
When I get back my gas mask has gone, stolen by a fighter.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I was overeating to mask the fact that I was unhappy.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
They wear masks to protect their identity.
The Sun (2014)
And the simple statistics on deaths mask the seriousness of the problem.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The hollow mask really really looks as though it is moving.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Inquiries there on how to obtain a gas mask have quadrupled since last week.
The Sun (2013)
Many also contain perfume to mask bodily odour.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Many jockeys also wore face masks to protect them from having sand kicked in their faces.
Frankie Dettori with Jonathan Powell FRANKIE: The Autobiography of Frankie Dettori (2004)
Use as a mask or leave on overnight.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The great players maybe wear masks and no one knows what is going on behind them.
The Sun (2006)
The fact that three masks had been found in the shop seemed to confirm this theory.
Colin Beavan FINGERPRINTS: Murder and the Race to Uncover the Science of Identity (2002)
They perform in masks to protect their identities.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Sahara desert sand and pollution blown in from the continent combined to cause people to cover up in masks.
The Sun (2014)
My face looked like a mask.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
They wore animal masks on their faces, and scarves around their heads.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Word lists with
mask
fencing
In other languages
mask
British English: mask /mɑːsk/ NOUN
A mask is something which you wear over your face for protection or to disguise yourself.
...actors wearing masks.
American English: mask
Arabic: قِنَاعٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: máscara
Chinese: 面具
Croatian: maska
Czech: maska
Danish: maske
Dutch: masker
European Spanish: máscara
Finnish: naamio
French: masque
German: Maske
Greek: μάσκα
Italian: maschera
Japanese: マスク
Korean: 마스크
Norwegian: maske
Polish: maska
European Portuguese: máscara
Romanian: mască
Russian: маска
Latin American Spanish: máscara
Swedish: mask på ansikte
Thai: หน้ากาก
Turkish: maske
Ukrainian: маска
Vietnamese: mặt nạ
British English: mask VERB
If you mask your feelings, you deliberately do not show them in your behaviour, so that people cannot know what you really feel.
She lit a cigarette, trying to mask her agitation.
American English: mask
Brazilian Portuguese: disfarçar
Chinese: 掩饰
European Spanish: ocultar
French: masquer
German: verdecken
Italian: dissimulare
Japanese: 感情を隠す
Korean: 감추다
European Portuguese: disfarçar
Latin American Spanish: ocultar
Chinese translation of 'mask'
mask
(mɑːsk)
n(c)
(disguise) 面罩 (miànzhào) (个(個), gè)
(protection) 口罩 (kǒuzhào) (个(個), gè)
(concealing emotions) 伪(偽)装(裝) (wěizhuāng)
vt
(= hide)[feelings]掩饰(飾) (yǎnshì)
[object]遮住 (zhēzhù)
a masked man (= robber etc) 戴面具的人 (dài miànjù de rén)
1 (noun)
Definition
any covering for the whole or a part of the face worn for amusement, protection, or disguise
a gunman wearing a mask
Synonyms
disguise
a ridiculous disguise
visor
vizard (archaic)
stocking mask
false face
domino (rare)
2 (noun)
Definition
a device placed over the nose and mouth to facilitate or prevent inhalation of a gas
She wore a mask and rubber gloves.
Synonyms
face mask
visor
eye mask
surgical mask
safety goggles
protective mask
3 (noun)
Definition
behaviour that hides one's true feelings
His mask cracked, and she saw an angry and violent man.
Synonyms
façade
At work they hid their dislike of each other behind a façade of cheerfulness.
disguise
His seeming naivety was a disguise for his shrewd business mind.
show
front (informal)
a front for crime syndicates
cover
The grocery store was just a cover for their betting shop.
screen
They put a screen in front of me.
blind
cover-up
He denied there'd been any cover-up of the fraud.
veil
the chilling facts behind this veil of secrecy
cloak
Individualism is sometimes used as a cloak for self-interest.
guise
The workers are being dismissed under the guise of a reorganization.
camouflage
Her merrymaking was only a camouflage to disguise her grief.
veneer
He was able to fool people with his veneer of intellectuality.
semblance
They had nursed Peter back to some semblance of health.
concealment
His concealment of his true motives was masterly.
(verb)
Definition
to hide or disguise
A thick grey cloud masked the sun.
Synonyms
disguise
She made no attempt to disguise her contempt.
hide
The compound was hidden by trees and shrubs.
conceal
The device, concealed in a dustbin, was defused by police.
obscure
The building is almost completely obscured by a huge banner.
cover (up)
screen
The road is screened by a block of flats.
blanket
More than a foot of snow blanketed parts of Michigan.
veil
Her hair swept across her face, as if to veil it.
cloak
He uses jargon to cloak his inefficiency.
mantle
Many of the peaks were already mantled with snow.
camouflage
This is another clever attempt to camouflage reality.
enshroud
the icy chill that enshrouded us
Additional synonyms
in the sense of blanket
Definition
to cover as if with a blanket
More than a foot of snow blanketed parts of Michigan.
Synonyms
coat,
cover,
hide,
surround,
cloud,
mask,
conceal,
obscure,
eclipse,
cloak
in the sense of blind
Definition
a person, action, or thing that serves to deceive or conceal the truth
Synonyms
cover,
front (informal),
screen,
mask,
cloak,
façade,
camouflage,
masquerade,
feint,
smoke screen
in the sense of camouflage
Her merrymaking was only a camouflage to disguise her grief.
Synonyms
disguise,
front (informal),
cover,
screen,
blind,
mask,
cloak,
guise,
masquerade,
subterfuge,
concealment
Synonyms of 'mask'
mask
Explore 'mask' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of camouflage
Definition
to conceal by camouflage
This is another clever attempt to camouflage reality.
Synonyms
disguise,
cover,
screen,
hide,
mask,
conceal,
obscure,
veil,
cloak,
obfuscate (formal)
in the sense of cloak
Definition
something that covers or conceals
Individualism is sometimes used as a cloak for self-interest.
Synonyms
disguise,
front (informal),
cover,
screen,
blind,
mask,
shield,
cover-up,
façade,
pretext,
smoke screen,
smoke and mirrors
in the sense of cloak
Definition
to hide or disguise
He uses jargon to cloak his inefficiency.
Synonyms
hide,
cover,
screen,
mask,
disguise,
conceal,
obscure,
veil,
camouflage
in the sense of conceal
Definition
to cover and hide
The device, concealed in a dustbin, was defused by police.
Synonyms
hide,
bury,
stash (informal),
secrete,
cover,
screen,
disguise,
obscure,
camouflage
in the sense of concealment
His concealment of his true motives was masterly.
Synonyms
cover-up,
disguise,
keeping secret
in the sense of cover
Definition
a pretext or disguise
The grocery store was just a cover for their betting shop.
Synonyms
disguise,
front (informal),
screen,
mask,
cover-up,
veil,
cloak,
façade,
pretence,
pretext,
window-dressing,
smoke screen,
smoke and mirrors
in the sense of cover-up
Definition
concealment or attempted concealment of a mistake or crime
He denied there'd been any cover-up of the fraud.
Synonyms
concealment,
conspiracy,
whitewash (informal),
complicity,
front (informal),
smoke screen,
smoke and mirrors
in the sense of enshroud
Definition
to cover or hide (an object) completely, as if by draping something over it
the icy chill that enshrouded us
Synonyms
cover,
hide,
cloud,
wrap,
conceal,
obscure,
enclose,
veil,
cloak,
shroud,
envelop,
pall,
enfold,
enwrap
in the sense of front
Definition
a business or other activity serving as a respectable cover for another, usually criminal, organization
a front for crime syndicates
Synonyms
disguise,
cover,
screen,
blind,
mask,
cover-up,
cloak,
façade,
pretext
in the sense of guise
Definition
a false appearance
The workers are being dismissed under the guise of a reorganization.
Synonyms
pretence,
show,
mask,
disguise,
face,
front (informal),
aspect,
façade,
semblance
Additional synonyms
in the sense of hide
Definition
to obscure or cover (something) from view
The compound was hidden by trees and shrubs.
Synonyms
obscure,
cover,
screen,
bury,
shelter,
mask,
disguise,
conceal,
eclipse,
veil,
cloak,
shroud,
camouflage,
blot out
in the sense of mantle
Definition
to spread over or become spread over
Many of the peaks were already mantled with snow.
Synonyms
cover,
hide,
blanket,
cloud,
wrap,
screen,
mask,
disguise,
veil,
cloak,
shroud,
envelop,
overspread
in the sense of obscure
Definition
to make unclear or vague
The building is almost completely obscured by a huge banner.
Synonyms
hide,
cover (up),
screen,
mask,
disguise,
conceal,
veil,
cloak,
shroud,
camouflage,
envelop,
encase,
enshroud
in the sense of screen
Definition
a light movable frame, panel, or partition used to shelter, divide, or conceal
They put a screen in front of me.
Synonyms
cover,
guard,
shade,
shelter,
shield,
hedge,
partition,
cloak,
mantle,
shroud,
canopy,
awning,
concealment,
room divider
in the sense of screen
Definition
to shelter, protect, or conceal with or as if with a screen
The road is screened by a block of flats.
Synonyms
cover,
hide,
conceal,
shade,
mask,
disguise,
veil,
cloak,
shroud,
camouflage,
shut out
in the sense of semblance
Definition
outward or superficial appearance
They had nursed Peter back to some semblance of health.
Synonyms
appearance,
show,
form,
air,
figure,
front,
image,
bearing,
aspect,
mask,
similarity,
resemblance,
guise,
façade,
pretence,
veneer,
likeness,
mien (literary)
in the sense of veil
Definition
something that conceals the truth
the chilling facts behind this veil of secrecy
Synonyms
screen,
mask,
disguise,
blind
in the sense of veil
Definition
to cover or conceal with or as if with a veil
Her hair swept across her face, as if to veil it.
Synonyms
cover,
screen,
hide,
mask,
shield,
disguise,
conceal,
obscure,
dim,
cloak,
mantle
in the sense of veneer
Definition
a deceptive but convincing appearance
He was able to fool people with his veneer of intellectuality.