/ ˈmæntl; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ sing. ] the ~ of sb/sth ( literary ) the role and responsibilities of an important person or job, especially when they are passed on from one person to another :
The vice-president must now take on the mantle of supreme power.
2.
[ C ] ( literary ) a layer of sth that covers a surface :
hills with a mantle of snow
3.
[ C ] a loose piece of clothing without sleeves, worn over other clothes, especially in the past
SYN cloak , covering
4.
(also ˈgas mantle ) [ C ] a cover around the flame of a gas lamp that becomes very bright when it is heated
5.
[ sing. ] ( geology ) the part of the earth below the crust and surrounding the core
■ verb
[ vn ] ( literary ) to cover the surface of sth
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English mentel , from Latin mantellum cloak; reinforced in Middle English by Old French mantel .