VAIL, n. L. velum, from velo, to cover, to spread over. It is correctly written vail for e, in Latin, is our a.

1. Any kind of cloth which is used for intercepting the view and hiding something; as the vail of the temple among the Israelites.

2. A piece of thin cloth or silk stuff, used by females to hide their faces. In some eastern countries, certain classes of females never appear abroad without vails.

3. A cover; that which conceals; as the vail of oblivion.

4. In botany, the membranous covering of the germen in the Musci and Hepaticae; the calypter.

5. Vails, money given to servants. Not used in America.

VAIL, v.t. L. velo. To cover; to hide from the sight; as, to vail the face.

VAIL, v.t.

1. To let fall.

They stiffly refused to vail their bonnets.

I believe wholly obsolete.

2. To let fall; to lower; as, to vail the topsail. Obs.

3. To let fall; to sink. Obs.

VAIL, v.i. To yield or recede; to give place; to show respect by yielding.

Thy convenience must vail to thy neighbor's necessity. Obs.