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Webster 1913 Edition


Disguise

Dis-guise′

(?; 232)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Disguised
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Disguising
.]
[OE.
desguisen
,
disgisen
,
degisen
, OF.
desguisier
, F.
déguiser
; pref.
des-
(L.
dis-
) +
guise
. See
Guise
.]
1.
To change the guise or appearance of; especially, to conceal by an unusual dress, or one intended to mislead or deceive.
Bunyan was forced to
disguise
himself as a wagoner.
Macaulay.
2.
To hide by a counterfeit appearance; to cloak by a false show; to mask;
as, to
disguise
anger; to
disguise
one’s sentiments, character, or intentions.
All God's angels come to us
disguised
.
Lowell.
3.
To affect or change by liquor; to intoxicate.
Syn. – To conceal; hide; mask; dissemble; dissimulate; feign; pretend; secrete. See
Conceal
.

Dis-guise′

,
Noun.
1.
A dress or exterior put on for purposes of concealment or of deception;
as, persons doing unlawful acts in
disguise
are subject to heavy penalties
.
There is no passion which steals into the heart more imperceptibly and covers itself under more
disguises
, than pride.
Addison.
2.
Artificial language or manner assumed for deception; false appearance; counterfeit semblance or show.
That eye which glances through all
disguises
.
D. Webster.
3.
Change of manner by drink; intoxication.
Shak.
4.
A masque or masquerade.
[Obs.]
Disguise
was the old English word for a masque.
B. Jonson.

Webster 1828 Edition


Disguise

DISGUISE

,
Verb.
T.
disgize.
1.
To conceal by an unusual habit, or mask. Men sometimes disguise themselves fro the purpose of committing crimes without danger of detection. They disguise their faces in a masquerade.
2.
To hide by a counterfeit appearance; to cloke by a false show, by false language, or an artificial manner; as, to disguise anger, sentiments or intentions.
3.
To disfigure; to alter the form, and exhibit an unusual appearance.
They saw the faces, which too well they knew, though then disguised in death.
4.
To disfigure or deform by liquor; to intoxicate.

DISGUISE

,
Noun.
1.
A counterfeit habit; a dress intended to conceal the person who wears it.
By the laws of England, persons doing unlawful acts in disguise are subjected to heavy penalties, and in some cases, declared felons.
2.
A false appearance; a counterfeit show; an artificial or assumed appearance in tended to deceive the beholder.
A treacherous design is often concealed under the disguise of great candor.
3.
Change of manner by drink; intoxication.

Definition 2024


disguise

disguise

English

Noun

disguise (plural disguises)

  1. Attire (e.g. clothing, makeup) used to hide one's identity or assume another.
    That cape and mask complete his disguise.
  2. (figuratively) The appearance of something on the outside which masks what's beneath.
  3. The act of disguising, notably as a ploy
    Any disguise may expose soldiers to be deemed enemy spies.

Synonyms

Translations

Verb

disguise (third-person singular simple present disguises, present participle disguising, simple past and past participle disguised)

  1. (transitive) To change the appearance of (a person or thing) so as to hide, or to assume an identity.
    Spies often disguise themselves.
    • Macaulay
      Bunyan was forced to disguise himself as a wagoner.
  2. (transitive) To avoid giving away or revealing (something secret); to hide by a false appearance.
    He disguised his true intentions.
  3. (archaic) To affect or change by liquor; to intoxicate.
    • Spectator
      I have just left the right worshipful, and his myrmidons, about a sneaker or five gallons; the whole magistracy was pretty well disguised before I gave them the ship.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations