I. ˈenvəˌlōp, ˈän- noun
also en·vel·op ə̇nˈveləp, enˈv-, ˈenˌveləp, ˈenv(ə)ləp, ˈänv(ə)ləp
( -s )
Etymology: French enveloppe, from Middle French envelope, from enveloper
1. : something that envelops : wrapper , container , receptacle
one of these graves … may contain the earthly envelope of some immortal mind — Kathleen Freeman
the envelope of air around the earth
2. : a flat flexible usually paper container in many sizes and constructions made by die cutting and gluing with an overlapped back seam and with bottom and closure flaps both adhering to the back portion
3.
a. : the wrapper or cover for a phonograph record or electrical transcription
b. : envelope stamp
4. : something (as a woman's handbag) shaped like a letter envelope
wistfully fingered her … narrow beadwork envelope — Maeve Brennan
5.
a. : the outer covering of an aerostat
b. : the bag which contains the gas in a balloon or airship
6. biology : any enclosing covering (as membrane, shell, integument, or surrounding leaves)
7.
a. : a curve that is tangent to each one of a family of curves
b. : a surface that is tangent to each one of a family of surfaces
8. : the suggestion of atmosphere surrounding the subject of a painting or sculpture (as by modulation of tone or by shallow and simplified cutting of the form)
9. : the container or housing of glass, quartz, or metal that encloses the working elements of a vacuum tube
10. : jacket 3b(2)
II. noun
1. : a set of performance limits (as of an aircraft) that may not be safely exceeded ; also : the set of operating parameters that exists within these limits
2. : a usually socially or conventionally accepted limit
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- push the envelope