— screenable , adj. — screener , n. — screenless , adj. — screenlike , adj.
/skreen/ , n.
1. a movable or fixed device, usually consisting of a covered frame, that provides shelter, serves as a partition, etc.
2. a permanent, usually ornamental partition, as around the choir of a church or across the hall of a medieval house.
3. a specially prepared, light-reflecting surface on which motion pictures, slides, etc., may be projected.
4. motion pictures collectively or the motion-picture industry.
5. Electronics , Television. the external surface of the large end of a cathode-ray tube of a television set, radar receiver, etc., on which an electronically created picture or image is formed.
6. Computers.
a. Also called video screen . the portion of a terminal or monitor upon which information is displayed.
b. frame (def. 10).
7. anything that shelters, protects, or conceals: a screen of secrecy; A screen of fog prevented our seeing the ship.
8. a frame holding a mesh of wire, cloth, or plastic, for placing in a window or doorway, around a porch, etc., to admit air but exclude insects.
9. a sieve, riddle, or other meshlike device used to separate smaller particles or objects from larger ones, as for grain or sand.
10. a system for screening or grouping people, objects, etc.
11. Mil. a body of troops sent out to protect the movement of an army.
12. Navy. a protective formation of small vessels, as destroyers, around or in front of a larger ship or ships.
13. Physics. a shield designed to prevent interference between various agencies: electric screen.
14. Electronics. See screen grid .
15. Photog. a plate of ground glass or the like on which the image is brought into focus in a camera before being photographed.
16. Photoengraving. a transparent plate containing two sets of fine parallel lines, one crossing the other, used in the halftone process.
17. Sports.
a. any of various offensive plays in which teammates form a protective formation around the ball carrier, pass receiver, shooter, etc.
b. any of various defensive plays in which teammates conceal or block an opposing ball carrier, pass receiver, shooter, or the goal, basket, net, etc., itself.
v.t.
18. to shelter, protect, or conceal with or as if with a screen.
19. to select, reject, consider, or group (people, objects, ideas, etc.) by examining systematically: Job applicants were screened by the personnel department.
20. to provide with a screen or screens to exclude insects: He screened the porch so they could enjoy sitting out on summer evenings.
21. to sift or sort by passing through a screen.
22. to project (a motion picture, slide, etc.) on a screen.
23. Motion Pictures.
a. to show (a motion picture), esp. to an invited audience, as of exhibitors and critics.
b. to photograph with a motion-picture camera; film.
c. to adapt (a story, play, etc.) for presentation as a motion picture.
24. to lighten (type or areas of a line engraving) by etching a regular pattern of dots or lines into the printing surface.
v.i.
25. to be projected on a motion-picture screen.
[ 1350-1400; ME screne (n.) escren (F écran ) skrank, c. OHG scrank barrier (G Schrank cupboard) ]
Syn. 7. guard, shield. See cover. 18. veil, defend, shield, hide, mask.