n. [ F. masque, LL. masca, mascha, mascus; cf. Sp. & Pg. máscara, It. maschera; all fr. Ar. maskharat buffoon, fool, pleasantry, anything ridiculous or mirthful, fr. sakhira to ridicule, to laugh at. Cf. Masque, Masquerade. ] 1. A cover, or partial cover, for the face, used for disguise or protection; as, a dancer's mask; a fencer's mask; a ball player's mask. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which disguises; a pretext or subterfuge. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A festive entertainment of dancing or other diversions, where all wear masks; a masquerade; hence, a revel; a frolic; a delusive show. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

This thought might lead me through the world's vain mask. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A dramatic performance, formerly in vogue, in which the actors wore masks and represented mythical or allegorical characters. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Arch.) A grotesque head or face, used to adorn keystones and other prominent parts, to spout water in fountains, and the like; -- called also mascaron. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Fort.) (a) In a permanent fortification, a redoubt which protects the caponiere. (b) A screen for a battery. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Zool.) The lower lip of the larva of a dragon fly, modified so as to form a prehensile organ. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. A person wearing a mask; a masker.

The mask that has the arm of the Indian queen. G. W. Cable. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

9. (Sporting) The head or face of a fox.

Mask house, a house for masquerades. [ Obs. ] --
Death mask, a cast of the face of a dead person. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Masked p. pr. & vb. n. Masking. ] 1. To cover, as the face, by way of concealment or defense against injury; to conceal with a mask or visor. [ 1913 Webster ]

They must all be masked and vizarded. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To disguise; to cover; to hide. [ 1913 Webster ]

Masking the business from the common eye. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mil.) (a) To conceal; also, to intervene in the line of. (b) To cover or keep in check; as, to mask a body of troops or a fortress by a superior force, while some hostile evolution is being carried out. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To take part as a masker in a masquerade. Cavendish. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To wear a mask; to be disguised in any way. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Wearing a mask or masks; characterized by masks; concealed; hidden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) Same as Personate. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) Having the anterior part of the head differing decidedly in color from the rest of the plumage; -- said of birds. [ 1913 Webster ]

Masked ball, a ball in which the dancers wear masks. --
Masked battery (Mil.), a battery so placed as not to be seen by an enemy until it opens fire. H. L. Scott. --
Masked crab (Zool.), a European crab (Corystes cassivelaunus) with markings on the carapace somewhat resembling a human face. --
Masked pig (Zool.), a Japanese domestic hog (Sus pliciceps). Its face is deeply furrowed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who wears a mask; one who appears in disguise at a masquerade. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To confuse; to stupefy. [ Obs. ] Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The dress or disguise of a masker; masquerade. [ Obs. ] Marston. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The muskellunge. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Zool.) Any spiral marine shell of the genus Persona, having a curiously twisted aperture. [ 1913 Webster ]