cloak
gb/klˈoʊk/ us/klˈoʊk/
B2
English
köpeny, elfed, titokba burkol, lepel, beborít
NOUN
B2
1
köpeny
B1
Usage pattern:
wear a [cloak]
He wore a dark cloak over his suit as he stepped into the rain.
Sötét köpenyt viselt az öltönye fölött, amikor kilépett az esőbe.
The costume included a hooded cloak and leather boots.
A jelmezhez egy csuklyás köpeny és bőrcsizma tartozott.
She wrapped her cloak tightly around her shoulders.
Learner examples
He is wearing a cloak.
Köpenyt visel.
My cloak is warm.
A köpenyem meleg.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse cloak with cape (a similar garment) or with clock (different word and pronunciation).
Meaning
a loose outer garment
Collocations
wear a cloak
|a black cloak
|a hooded cloak
|a heavy cloak
|a velvet cloak
|a traveling cloak
|wrap a cloak around [someone]
|pull on a cloak
Synonyms
cape (Similar outer garment, often shorter and usually without a hood.)
Themes
clothing
|fashion
Definition
A long, loose piece of clothing worn over other clothes.
A loose outer garment that hangs from the shoulders, often fastened at the neck and sometimes with a hood.
VERB
C1
2
elfed
B2
Usage pattern:
cloak [something] (in/with [something]); cloak [something] from [someone]
The company tried to cloak its losses with creative accounting.
A cég kreatív könyveléssel próbálta elfedni a veszteségeit.
He cloaked his disappointment behind a polite smile.
Udvarias mosollyal próbálta elfedni a csalódottságát.
They cloaked the meeting’s real purpose from the press.
Learner examples
He cloaked his feelings.
Elfedte az érzéseit.
They cloaked the plan in secrecy.
Titokba burkolták a tervet.
Common mistake:
In this meaning, cloak is usually used with an object (cloak something), often with in (cloak it in secrecy).
Meaning
hide or disguise something
Collocations
cloak the truth
|cloak his intentions
|cloak their plans
|cloak [something] in secrecy
|cloak [something] in mystery
|cloak corruption
|cloak a lie
|cloak motives
Synonyms
conceal (More formal; directly focuses on hiding.)
|
disguise (Emphasizes changing appearance to hide the real nature.)
|
mask (Suggests covering or hiding from view, often metaphorically.)
Antonyms
reveal (To make something known instead of hidden.)
|
expose (To uncover something, often wrongdoing.)
Themes
communication
|crime
|business
Definition
To hide something so people cannot see or know it.
To hide, disguise, or keep something secret, especially by making it appear less obvious.
NOUN
C1
3
lepel
B2
Usage pattern:
a cloak for [something]; under a cloak of [something]
Politeness can be a cloak for hostility.
Az udvariasság az ellenségesség leple lehet.
Charity work became a cloak for their illegal deals.
A jótékonysági munka az illegális ügyleteik leplévé vált.
They operated under a cloak of respectability.
Learner examples
This story is a cloak for the truth.
Ez a történet csak lepel az igazság elfedésére.
Common mistake:
This is usually a metaphorical use; it does not mean clothing in these contexts.
Meaning
a cover or pretense
Collocations
a cloak for wrongdoing
|a cloak for corruption
|a cloak of respectability
|a cloak of anonymity
|a cloak of silence
|under a cloak of secrecy
|a cloak of politeness
Synonyms
cover (More general; can also mean protection rather than deception.)
|
pretext (A false reason given to hide the real one.)
|
façade (A deceptive outward appearance, especially of respectability.)
Antonyms
transparency (Openness and lack of concealment.)
|
candor (Honest, direct openness.)
Themes
communication
|politics
|business
Definition
A cover that hides the real truth or purpose.
Something that hides the truth or real intention; a covering or pretense used to disguise what is really happening.
VERB
C1
LITERARY
4
beborít
B1
Usage pattern:
[something] cloaks [something]
Fog cloaked the harbor all morning.
Egész délelőtt köd borította a kikötőt.
Snow cloaked the fields in white.
A hó fehérbe borította a mezőket.
As the sun set, darkness cloaked the town.
Learner examples
Fog cloaked the mountains.
Köd borította a hegyeket.
Common mistake:
This use is more literary than everyday speech; cover is more common in daily conversation.
Meaning
cover completely like a layer
Collocations
mist cloaked the hills
|fog cloaked the valley
|clouds cloaked the peaks
|darkness cloaked the street
|snow cloaked the rooftops
|shadows cloaked the room
Synonyms
shroud (More literary; suggests covering so it cannot be seen.)
|
envelop (Focuses on surrounding on all sides.)
Antonyms
uncover (To remove a covering.)
Themes
nature
|weather
|description
Definition
To cover something completely.
To cover something completely, especially by surrounding it like a layer or blanket.
Grammar
Dictionary form
cloak
IPA
GB/klˈoʊk/
US/klˈoʊk/
Syllables & stress
cloak (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (cloak)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: cloak
- Plural: cloaks
Verb
- Base: cloak
- 3rd Person Singular: cloaks
- Present Participle: cloaking
- Past: cloaked
Word family
Forms
cloaks
noun
cloaking
verb
cloaked
verb
Related words
cloakroom
noun
Negative and opposite forms
uncloak
verb
Expressions
a cloak for [something]
1/ə klˈoʊk fɚ sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
pretense that hides motives
A false cover that hides the real reason.
Examples
- He used religion as a cloak for greed.
- They used security concerns as a cloak for censorship.
- Small talk can be a cloak for discomfort.
Learner examples
- He used kindness as a cloak for control.
cloak [something] in secrecy
1/klˈoʊk sˈʌmθɪŋ ˈɪn sˈikɹəsi/
fixed phrase
hide something with secrecy
To keep something very secret.
Examples
- They cloaked the investigation in secrecy.
- The agency cloaked its methods in secrecy for years.
- He cloaked his past in secrecy.
Learner examples
- They cloaked the plan in secrecy.
cloak of secrecy
1/klˈoʊk əv sˈikɹəsi/
fixed phrase
protective cover of hidden information
A way of working that hides information and makes it hard for people to know what is really happening.
Examples
- The investigation has been conducted under a cloak of secrecy.
- They used a cloak of secrecy to avoid public criticism.
- The cloak of secrecy around the deal has raised serious concerns.
cloak of secrecy
1/klˈoʊk əv sˈikɹəsi/
fixed phrase
secrecy that hides details
A situation where everything is kept secret.
Examples
- The negotiations were conducted under a cloak of secrecy.
- A cloak of secrecy still surrounds the deal.
- They tried to maintain a cloak of secrecy about the project.
Learner examples
- The plan was kept under a cloak of secrecy.
cloak-and-dagger
1/klˈoʊk ˈænd dˈæɡɚ/
idiom
secretive spying and intrigue
Secret and like a spy story.
Examples
- The movie is a cloak-and-dagger thriller about espionage.
- They held a cloak-and-dagger meeting in a quiet café.
- His cloak-and-dagger behavior made everyone suspicious.
Learner examples
- It feels like a cloak-and-dagger story.
under the cloak of darkness
1/ˈʌndɚ ðə klˈoʊk əv dˈɑɹknəs/
fixed phrase
hidden by night or darkness
Doing something at night so no one sees you.
Examples
- The thieves returned under the cloak of darkness.
- They moved the equipment under the cloak of darkness to avoid attention.
- The animals hunt under the cloak of darkness.
Learner examples
- They left under the cloak of darkness.