I. ˈshrau̇d, esp South ˈsrau̇d, dial ˈswau̇d noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English scrūd; akin to Old Norse skrūth shrouds of a ship, cloth, Old English scrēade shred — more at shred
1.
a. obsolete : a covering for the body : garment
b. : burial garment : winding-sheet , cerement
2.
a. obsolete : a covered place (as a cave or den) used as a retreat or shelter
b. shrouds plural , archaic : an underground chapel (as the chapel of St. Faith's under St. Paul's Cathedral in London)
c. obsolete : protection
put yourself under his shroud , the universal landlord — Shakespeare
d. archaic : the overspreading foliage of a tree
a cedar … with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud — Ezek 31:3 (Authorized Version)
3. : something that covers, screens, or guards
a shroud of secrecy
a shroud of dust hanging over the city
as
a. : the metal piece between the hood and the cowl on an automobile body
b. or shroud plate : one of the two annular plates at either side at the periphery of a waterwheel that form the sides of the buckets
c. : one of two similarly placed flanges forming part of the wheel casting to strengthen the teeth of a gear wheel or peripheral support to turbine or fan bedding
d. : the disk ends of lantern clock pinions into which the pins are set
e. : the muslin cloth put on dressed beef for protection and cleanliness
f. : a sheet-metal guard protecting an airplane fuselage from exhaust heat
4.
a. : one of the ropes of hemp or wire leading usually in pairs from a ship's mastheads to give lateral support to the masts — see ship illustration
b. also shroud line : one of the cords that suspend the harness of a parachute from the canopy
[s]shroud.jpg[/s] [
1 shroud 4a
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II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English shrouden, from shroud, n.
transitive verb
1.
a. archaic : to cover (as a person) for protection : shelter
shroud these weaklings from blows — Nathaniel Fairfax
b. obsolete : to conceal (as a person) in a secret or hidden place
I have been closely shrouded in this bush — Shakespeare
2.
a. : to cut off from view : screen
trees shrouded in a heavy mist
b. : to veil under another appearance (as by obscuring or disguising)
shrouded in cipher
uncertainty … shrouds the identity of the early peoples — American Guide Series: Ind.
3. : to cover with a shroud ; especially : to enclose in a winding sheet : dress for burial
4. : to cover (sides of beef) with muslin
5. : trim , lop
climb up … and shroud off the lower boughs — Thomas Hardy
intransitive verb
archaic : to take or seek shelter
wilt thou shroud in haunted cell — William Collins †1759