I. ˈskrēn noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English screne, from Middle French escren, escran, from Middle Dutch scherm screen, shield, protection; akin to Old High German skirm, skerm shield, screen, Middle Low German scerm shield, screen, Latin corium skin, hide — more at cuirass
1. : a device used as a protection from the heat of a fireplace or from drafts or as an ornamental piece: as
a. : a folding temporary partition consisting of hinged leaves usually made of wood or metal framework covered with cloth, leather, or paper — see fire screen
b. : a cloth, paper, or wooden implement with a handle to hold between oneself and the fire
c. : a high-backed settle
2.
a. : a nonbearing partition that may be solid or pierced, is often ornamental, and is carried up to a height necessary for separation and protection
b. : a passage screened or partitioned off from the lower end of the hall of a Tudor or Elizabethan house and used to connect the buttery and the kitchen
c.
(1) : choir screen
(2) : rood screen
3. : something that shelters, protects especially from injury or danger, or conceals from view: as
a. Scotland : a large head scarf
b. : a natural or cultivated growth of plants
a screen of ivy across the window
a screen of tall pines sheltered the orchard from winter storms
c.
(1) : a body of troops thrown out toward the enemy to protect a command or an area
(2) : a formation of light naval vessels (as destroyers or cruisers) about a formation of heavier ships to protect the heavier formation from attack especially by submarines or aircraft
(3) : air patrolling by fighter-interceptors to protect from air attack specific targets (as slower aircraft or surface forces) : air patrolling to defend the entire friendly territory from air incursion
(4) : smoke, camouflage, or a natural factor that protects an armed force from observation
misty clouds … made such a perfect screen that the Confederate batteries on top of the mountain could render no effective help — American Guide Series: Tennessee
4.
a. : something that guards : a security from possible inconvenience, censorious judgment, or harm
adult care interposes a screen between the small child and … society — Ralph Linton
b. : a shield for secret sometimes nefarious practices
geniality … in our initial sessions was only a screen — A.H.Vandenberg †1951
petty larceny … only a screen for something bigger — Claud Cockburn
5.
a.
(1) : a perforated plate, cylinder, or similar device or a meshed wire or cloth fabric usually mounted on a frame and used to separate coarser from finer parts or to allow the passage of smaller portions while preventing that of larger
(2) : a continuously operating mechanical straining device for removing knots and coarse foreign matter from paper stock in suspension in water
(3) : a device for separating the grain husks from the liquid portion of whole stillage
(4) : silk screen
b. : something that resembles a screen for sifting physical materials ; especially : a system for examining in order to make a separation into different groups
the new battalion passes through the screen of officer and instructor observation — Scientific American
6.
a.
(1) : a flat surface afforded usually by a curtain, sheet, or wall upon which an image (as a picture) is projected by a lantern, solar microscope, or motion-picture projector
(2) : the motion-picture industry
b. : something that resembles a motion-picture screen
a collection of poems … provides the reader with that larger screen on which the poet's essential qualities are thrown — Sara H. Hay
engrave its picture on the screen of our mind — Walter Sorell
7.
a. : a part of an instrument or piece of apparatus designed to prevent agencies in one part from affecting other parts
optical screen
electric screen
magnetic screen
b. : a device to prevent radio waves or magnetic or electric fields from crossing a particular area
8. : an erection of white canvas or wood placed near the boundary at both ends of a cricket field in line with the wickets to enable the batsmen to see the ball better
9. : a three-color mosaic of regular pattern used in making the negative and viewing the transparency in the separate screen processes of additive color photography — compare screen plate
10.
a. : a glass plate ruled with crossing opaque lines through which an image is photographed onto a plate in making a halftone and on which the latticework of the crossed lines produces a dot formation
b. : a unit of measure of the textural fineness of a halftone being the number of dots per linear inch
a coarse 65- screen newspaper cut
a fine 200- screen engraving
11.
a. : a frame holding a metallic or textile netting used especially in a window or door to exclude insects
b. : screen cloth
12. : the surface upon which an image or pattern is produced in a television or radar receiver or in a similar apparatus
13. : an act or instance of screening in athletic contests
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English screanen, from screne, n.
transitive verb
1.
a. : to guard from injury or danger : shield from harm or punishment
the whole village was in a conspiracy to screen the bandits
b. : to protect from the attack of an enemy by means of an advance guard (as of fighter aircraft)
2.
a. : to give shelter or protection (as from light or wind) to
screened his eyes with his hand
b. : to shut off by interposing something that resembles a screen
will perhaps try whether the magnetic power is not to be screened off — John Tyndall
was screened by army regulations which forbid his making political speeches — Time
c. : to separate (an opponent in a game) as if with a screen: as
(1) : to prevent (an opponent in basketball) from reaching a desired position without causing bodily contact
(2) : to prevent (an opponent in soccer) from having a clear view of the ball by standing or moving so as to conceal it
(3) : to cover (one's own server) in order to conceal the direction of the serve from opponents in volleyball
3. : to conceal from view or knowledge : hide
20 paces of thick falling snow screened the man from him — Morley Callaghan
works in a bookshop, her identity screened from the customers — Newsweek
4.
a.
(1) : to pass through a screen ; especially : to pass (as coal, gravel, or paper stock) through a screen in order to separate one part from another
(2) : to remove by or as if by a screen — usually used with out
moisture in the air screens out much of the solar heat radiation — Marston Bates
b.
(1) : to examine usually methodically in order to make a separation into different groups
the students were screened before leaving their home countries, insuring that no one with false opinions or dangerous attitudes would get through — W.C.Booth
carefully screens all visa applications — Ralph de Toledano
industry will be screened again for the young, healthy, and dispensable — Newsweek
several antibiotics … have been screened for antituberculosis activity — J.F.Bohmfalk
(2) : to examine (an area) in order to remove whatever is undesirable
preceded the diplomats and screened, made sanitary and reasonably murderproof the area of the conference — H.S.Canby
(3) : to select by a screening process
the colonel had invited 5000 carefully screened leading citizens to sip punch — Time
(4) : to eliminate by or as if by a screening process
the committee should screen from the material received any items it deems unsuitable — Accounting Review
— usually used with out
even the best educated … are screened out socially by the policy of white supremacy — Margaret Mackay
(5) : to examine as a censor : censor
passed an ordinance creating a board of review to screen literature sold in the city — James Rorty
5. Britain : to post on a bulletin board
6.
a. : to provide with a screen to keep out insects
b. : to provide (as an electronic device) with a screen to prevent agencies in one part of an apparatus from affecting other parts
7.
a. : to project (as a motion-picture film) on a screen
exhibitors were required by law to screen a short with every feature — Helen Grayson
b. : to present in a motion picture
screened an abbreviated version of the book
was screened in the male leads of several westerns
8. : silk-screen
intransitive verb
: to appear on a motion-picture screen
he screens well
sounds a bit more silly and maudlin than it screens — Newsweek
Synonyms: see conceal
III. adjective
Etymology: screen (I)
1. : having a screen to keep out insects
screen door
screen porch
2. : of or relating to motion pictures
an actor who became famous as a screen star
the novel's screen potentialities — Publishers' Weekly
3. : silk-screen
IV. noun
: the information displayed on a computer screen at one time