mantle

An important role or position of authority, often taken over from someone else.

• She assumed the mantle of leadership.
• Who will inherit his mantle as party leader?
• The youngest daughter took on the mantle of family protector.

How to use it: the mantle of something (She accepted the mantle of leadership after her father’s retirement.); take on the mantle of someone/something (He took on the mantle of protector.)

Similar words: role, responsibility, authority

Common phrases: mantle of leadership, assume the mantle, take the mantle

A loose outer piece of clothing worn over the shoulders, especially by a church leader.

• He wore a dark mantle.
• The bishop's mantle reached almost to the floor.
• She drew her mantle around her shoulders.

Similar words: cloak, cape

Common phrases: velvet mantle, bishop's mantle, wear a mantle

A layer of something that covers or hides a place or thing.

• A mantle of snow covered the fields.
• The town lay beneath a mantle of darkness.
• Spring gave the hills a fresh green mantle.

How to use it: a mantle of something (A mantle of mist hid the village.)

Similar words: covering, blanket, cloak, layer

Common phrases: mantle of snow, mantle of darkness, white mantle

The area of hot gas surrounding a flame.

• Hot gases formed the flame's mantle.
• The outer mantle surrounded the blue centre.
• They measured the temperature within the mantle of the flame.

Common phrases: outer mantle, flame mantle, hot mantle

To cover something with a layer, or hide it from view.

• Mist mantled the valley.
• Snow had mantled the roofs during the night.
• Dark clouds mantle the mountain peaks.

How to use it: mantle something in/with something (Fresh snow mantled the hills in white.)

Similar words: cover, cloak, hide

Opposites: uncover, reveal

Common phrases: mantle the hills, mantle something in, mantle something with

To become covered by a layer of something or hidden from view.

• The fields began to mantle with frost.
• By evening, the valley had mantled in mist.
• In winter, the lake mantles with ice.

How to use it: mantle with/in something (The hills began to mantle with snow.)

Similar words: become covered

Common phrases: mantle with snow, mantle in mist

To spread across a surface, especially when red colour appears on someone's face.

• A blush mantled her cheeks.
• Colour slowly mantled over his face.
• As she spoke, a red flush began to mantle her neck.

How to use it: mantle over something (A blush mantled over her face.)

Similar words: spread, suffuse

Common phrases: mantle someone's cheeks, mantle over something

To climb onto a ledge by pushing down with your hands and lifting your body.

• He mantled onto the ledge.
• Can you mantle over that rock?
• She mantled the final shelf and stood on top of the boulder.

How to use it: mantle onto/over something (She mantled onto the ledge using both hands.)

Similar words: climb onto, clamber over

Common phrases: mantle onto something, mantle over something, mantle the ledge