Dictionary

unveil en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ʌnˈveɪl/

Etymology

From Middle English *unveilen (suggested by past participle unveiled, vnueylyd (“unveiled”)). Equivalent to un- + veil. Ultimately from Latin velum (whence also English voile, English reveal, Russian вуа́ль (vuálʹ), Russian завуали́ровать (zavualírovatʹ) (compare typologically)). Also compare typologically uncloak, unmask, Russian разобла́чать (razobláčatʹ) (akin to облаче́ние (oblačénije)).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To remove a veil from; to uncover; to reveal something hidden.
   • The Schools of Jurisprudence of Abu Hanifa, Al-Shafaii and Malik agree that the woman is permitted to unveil her face and hands in the streets in front of the strangers. However, if this display of the face does rouse temptation and charm, the woman has to veil her face as she does the rest of her body. 1996, Status of women in Islam, Status of women in Islam, page 91:
   • Since, therefore, the science of natural philosophy is conversant about the works of the Almighty, and its investigations have a direct tendency to illustrate the perfections of his nature, to unveil the plan of his operations, to unfold the laws by which he governs the kingdom of universal nature, and to display the order, symmetry, and proportion, which reign throughout the whole. 1831, Thomas Dick, The works of Thomas Dick, page 102:
   • A sort of curtain, made of- mat, usually hung before them, which the natives were sometimes unwilling to remove ; and when they did consent to unveil them, they seemed to express themselves in a very mysterious manner. 1836, James Cook, The Three voyages of Captain Cook round the world, page 356:
2. (transitive) To show, especially for the first time.
   • In summer 2020, the trains were unveiled at Wimbledon depot, and given the name Arterio. The operator said this symbolised its role as an artery for connecting the capital and beyond. 2022 January 12, “Network News: Wait goes on for South Western Railway Arterios to start work”, in RAIL, number 948, page 9:
   • Mr. K. W. C. Grand, Member of the B.T.C., and formerly General Manager of the Western Region, then unveiled one of the nameplates of No. 92220, to the applause of the large number of railwaymen and guests present. 1960 May 14, “Evening Star”, in Railway Magazine, pages 307-308:
   • The state of Colorado today unveiled its final plan to guide management of 4.2 million acres of roadless lands within the state's 11 national forests and submitted it for federal approval. 2010 April 6, Noelle Straub, “Colo. Submits Final Plan for 4.2M Acres of Roadless Lands”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 19 Jan 2022:
   • The car company are going to unveil the new sports car model next month.
3. (intransitive) To remove a veil; to reveal oneself.

Forms

Deriveds

unveiler · unveilment

Synonyms

unveil · uncover · unfold · find out · open · expose · luster · show · expose · nake · betray · display · uncloak · lay bare · reveal · uncloak · bare · bewray

Translations (60)

bg разкривам (to uncover) · cmn 顯露 /显露 (to reveal oneself) · es develar (to uncover) · pt revelar (to uncover) · la aperiō (to uncover) · sv avtäcka (to uncover) · nb avduke (to uncover) · fi paljastaa (to reveal oneself) · cmn 除去面紗 /除去面纱 (to reveal oneself) · es desvelar (to uncover) · es desenvendarse (to reveal oneself) · de enthüllen (to uncover) · da afdække (to uncover) · cmn 揭幕 (to uncover) · ru разоблача́ть (to uncover) · de abdecken (to uncover) · es desenvendar (to uncover) · de sich offenbaren (to reveal oneself) · es desvendarse (to reveal oneself) · cmn 透露 (to reveal oneself) · fr dévoiler (to uncover) · de aufdecken (to uncover) · cmn 顯露 /显露 (to uncover) · cmn 公布 (to uncover) · da afsløre (to reveal oneself) · es desvendar (to uncover) · ru раскрыва́ться (to reveal oneself) · it svelare (to uncover) · ca desvelar (to reveal oneself) · no avdekke (to uncover) · sv avslöja (to uncover) · nl onthullen (to uncover) · es desvelarse (to reveal oneself) · cmn 除去面紗 /除去面纱 (to uncover) · io desvelizar (to uncover) · fi paljastaa (to uncover) · eo senvualigi (to uncover) · bg разкривам се (to reveal oneself) · ru раскры́ть (to uncover) · cy dadorchuddio (to uncover) · es develarse (to reveal oneself) · ru раскры́ться (to reveal oneself) · cmn 透露 (to uncover) · fr lever le voile (to uncover) · ca desvelar (to uncover) · gv rooisht (to uncover) · ru раскрыва́ть (to uncover) · cmn 發布 /发布 (to uncover) · it svelarsi (to reveal oneself) · ru разоблачи́ть (to uncover) · la aperiō (to reveal oneself) · pt divulgar (to uncover) · nl blootstellen (to reveal oneself) · fr se dévoiler (to reveal oneself) · la dēvēlō (to uncover) · he חשף (to uncover) · de zeigen (zum ersten Mal) (to uncover) · bg разбулвам (to uncover) · no blottstille (to reveal oneself) · sv avslöja (to reveal oneself)