shroud

A cloth used to wrap a dead person’s body before burial.

• They wrapped the body in a shroud.
• A white shroud covered the dead woman.
• The museum displays burial shrouds from ancient graves.

Similar words: winding sheet, burial cloth

Common phrases: burial shroud, white shroud, linen shroud

A covering that hides, clothes, or protects something.

• A metal shroud covers the fan.
• Remove the protective shroud before repairing the motor.
• The machine's shroud keeps dust away from its moving parts.

Similar words: cover, covering, casing

Common phrases: protective shroud, fan shroud, metal shroud

Something, such as fog or darkness, that seems to cover or hide a place or thing.

• A shroud of fog covered the town.
• The mountains disappeared beneath a shroud of cloud.
• Investigators tried to lift the shroud of secrecy surrounding the case.

How to use it: shroud of something (A shroud of mist hid the hills.)

Similar words: veil, blanket, cloak

Common phrases: shroud of mist, shroud of darkness, shroud of secrecy

A covered place, such as a cave or underground room, where someone can find shelter.

• They found a shroud beneath the rocks.
• The traveller rested in a shroud beside the cave entrance.
• That hidden shroud protected them from the storm.

Similar words: shelter, refuge, retreat

Common phrases: rocky shroud, a sheltered shroud

To hide something from sight or prevent people from knowing about it.

• Fog shrouded the valley.
• The reasons for his departure remain shrouded in mystery.
• Dark clouds were shrouding the mountain peaks.

How to use it: be shrouded in something (The disappearance is shrouded in mystery.); shroud something in something (Officials shrouded the talks in secrecy.)

Similar words: hide, conceal, veil, obscure

Opposites: reveal, expose

Common phrases: shroud in mystery, shroud in secrecy, shroud in mist

To cover something with cloth, especially to wrap a dead person’s body for burial.

• They shrouded the body before burial.
• The dead soldier was shrouded in plain cloth.
• Women gently shrouded the bodies for the funeral.

How to use it: shroud someone/something in something (They shrouded the body in white linen.)

Similar words: wrap, cover, envelop

Opposites: uncover

Common phrases: shroud a body, shroud in linen, shroud the dead

To find protection or a place to stay, especially from bad weather.

• We shrouded beneath the trees.
• The shepherd shrouded in a cave during the storm.
• They shrouded from the rain under a rocky ledge.

How to use it: shroud beneath something (The travellers shrouded beneath a great oak.)

Similar words: shelter, take refuge

Common phrases: shroud beneath something, shroud in something