Adjacent Words

Screen definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SCREEN, n. [L. cerno, excerno, Gr. to separate, to sift, to judge, to fight, contend skirmish. The primary sense of the root is to separate, to drive or force asunder, hence to sift, to discern, to judge, to separate or cut off danger.]
1. Any thing that separates or cuts off inconvenience, injury or danger,; and hence, that which shelters or protects from danger, or prevents inconvenience. Thus a screen is used to intercept the sight, to intercept the heat of fire on the light of a candle.
Some ambitious men seem as screens to princes in matters of danger and envy.
2. A riddle or sieve.
SCREEN, v.t.
1. To separate or cut off from inconvenience, injury or danger; to shelter; to protect; to protect by hiding; to conceal; as fruits screened from cold winds by a forest or hill. Our houses and garments screen us from cold; an umbrella screens us from rain and the sun's rays. Neither rank nor money should screen from punishment the man who violates the laws.
2. To sift or riddle; to separate the coarse part of any thing from the fine, or the worthless from the valuable.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a white or silvered surface where pictures can be projected for viewing [syn: screen, silver screen, projection screen]
2: a protective covering that keeps things out or hinders sight; "they had just moved in and had not put up blinds yet" [syn: blind, screen]
3: the display that is electronically created on the surface of the large end of a cathode-ray tube [syn: screen, CRT screen]
4: a covering that serves to conceal or shelter something; "a screen of trees afforded privacy"; "under cover of darkness"; "the brush provided a covert for game"; "the simplest concealment is to match perfectly the color of the background" [syn: screen, cover, covert, concealment]
5: a protective covering consisting of netting; can be mounted in a frame; "they put screens in the windows for protection against insects"; "a metal screen protected the observers"
6: the personnel of the film industry; "a star of stage and screen" [syn: filmdom, screenland, screen]
7: a strainer for separating lumps from powdered material or grading particles [syn: sieve, screen]
8: a door that consists of a frame holding metallic or plastic netting; used to allow ventilation and to keep insects from entering a building through the open door; "he heard the screen slam as she left" [syn: screen door, screen]
9: partition consisting of a decorative frame or panel that serves to divide a space v
1: test or examine for the presence of disease or infection; "screen the blood for the HIV virus" [syn: screen, test]
2: examine methodically; "screen the suitcases"
3: examine in order to test suitability; "screen these samples"; "screen the job applicants" [syn: screen, screen out, sieve, sort]
4: project onto a screen for viewing; "screen a film"
5: prevent from entering; "block out the strong sunlight" [syn: screen, block out]
6: separate with a riddle, as grain from chaff [syn: riddle, screen]
7: protect, hide, or conceal from danger or harm [syn: shield, screen]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English screne, from Anglo-French escren, from Middle Dutch scherm; akin to Old High German skirm shield; probably akin to Sanskrit carman skin, k?n?ti he injures — more at shear Date: 14th century 1. a protective or ornamental device (as a movable partition) shielding an area from heat or drafts or from view 2. something that shelters, protects, or hides: as a. a growth or stand of trees, shrubs, or plants b. a protective formation of troops, ships, or planes c. something that covers or disguises the true nature (as of an activity or feeling) <his geniality is just a screen> d. (1) a maneuver in various sports (as basketball or ice hockey) whereby an opponent is legally impeded or the opponent's view of the play is momentarily blocked (2) screen pass 3. a. a perforated plate or cylinder or a meshed wire or cloth fabric usually mounted and used to separate coarser from finer parts b. a system for examining and separating into different groups c. a piece of apparatus designed to prevent agencies in one part from affecting other parts <an optical screen> <an electric screen> d. a frame holding a usually metallic netting used especially in a window or door to exclude pests (as insects) 4. a. a flat surface on which a picture or series of pictures is projected or reflected b. the surface on which the image appears in an electronic display (as in a television set, radar receiver, or computer terminal); also the information displayed on a computer screen at one time 5. a glass plate ruled with crossing opaque lines through which an image is photographed in making a halftone 6. the motion-picture medium or industry II. verb Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. to guard from injury or danger 2. a. to give shelter or protection to with or as if with a screen b. to separate with or as if with a screen; also to shield (an opponent) from a play or from view of a play 3. a. to pass (as coal, gravel, or ashes) through a screen to separate the fine part from the coarse; also to remove by a screen b. (1) to examine usually methodically in order to make a separation into different groups (2) to select or eliminate by a screening process (3) to test or examine for the presence of something (as a disease) <patients were screened for hepatitis> 4. to provide with a screen to keep out pests (as insects) 5. a. (1) to present (as a motion picture) for viewing on a screen (2) to view the presentation of (as a motion picture) b. to present in a motion picture intransitive verb 1. to appear on a motion-picture screen 2. to provide a screen in a game or sport Synonyms: see hide • screenable adjective • screener noun

U.S. Military Dictionary

(*) 1. An arrangement of ships, aircraft and/or submarines to protect a main body or convoy. 2. In cartography, a sheet of transparent film, glass, or plastic carrying a "ruling" or other regularly repeated pattern which may be used in conjunction with a mask, either photographically or photomechanically, to produce areas of the pattern. 3. In surveillance, camouflage and concealment, any natural or artificial material, opaque to surveillance sensor(s), interposed between the sensor(s) and the object to be camouflaged or concealed. See also concealment. 4. A security element whose primary task is to observe, identify, and report information, and which only fights in self-protection. See also flank guard; guard. 5. (DOD only) A task to maintain surveillance; provide early warning to the main body; or impede, destroy, and harass enemy reconnaissance within its capability without becoming decisively engaged. See also security operations.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a fixed or movable upright partition for separating, concealing, or sheltering from draughts or excessive heat or light. 2 a thing used as a shelter, esp. from observation. 3 a a measure adopted for concealment. b the protection afforded by this (under the screen of night). 4 a a blank usu. white or silver surface on which a photographic image is projected. b (prec. by the) the cinema industry. 5 the surface of a cathode-ray tube or similar electronic device, esp. of a television, VDU, etc., on which images appear. 6 = sight-screen. 7 = WINDSCREEN. 8 a frame with fine wire netting to keep out flies, mosquitoes, etc. 9 Physics a body intercepting light, heat, electric or magnetic induction, etc., in a physical apparatus. 10 Photog. a piece of ground glass in a camera for focusing. 11 a large sieve or riddle, esp. for sorting grain, coal, etc., into sizes. 12 a system of checking for the presence or absence of a disease, ability, attribute, etc. 13 Printing a transparent finely-ruled plate or film used in half-tone reproduction. 14 Mil. a body of troops, ships, etc., detached to warn of the presence of an enemy force. --v.tr. 1 (often foll. by from) a afford shelter to; hide partly or completely. b protect from detection, censure, etc. 2 (foll. by off) shut off or hide behind a screen. 3 a show (a film etc.) on a screen. b broadcast (a television programme). 4 prevent from causing, or protect from, electrical interference. 5 a test (a person or group) for the presence or absence of a disease. b check on (a person) for the presence or absence of a quality, esp. reliability or loyalty. 6 pass (grain, coal, etc.) through a screen. Phrases and idioms: screen printing a process like stencilling with ink forced through a prepared sheet of fine material (orig. silk). screen test an audition for a part in a cinema film. Derivatives: screenable adj. screener n. Etymology: ME f. ONF escren, escran: cf. OHG skrank barrier

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Screen Screen (skr[=e]n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Screened; p. pr. & vb. n. Screening.] 1. To provide with a shelter or means of concealment; to separate or cut off from inconvenience, injury, or danger; to shelter; to protect; to protect by hiding; to conceal; as, fruits screened from cold winds by a forest or hill. They were encouraged and screened by some who were in high commands. --Macaulay. 2. To pass, as coal, gravel, ashes, etc., through a screen in order to separate the coarse from the fine, or the worthless from the valuable; to sift.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Screen Screen (skr[=e]n), n. [OE. scren, OF. escrein, escran, F. ['e]cran, of uncertain origin; cf. G. schirm a screen, OHG. scirm, scerm a protection, shield, or G. schragen a trestle, a stack of wood, or G. schranne a railing.] 1. Anything that separates or cuts off inconvenience, injury, or danger; that which shelters or conceals from view; a shield or protection; as, a fire screen. Your leavy screens throw down. --Shak. Some ambitious men seem as screens to princes in matters of danger and envy. --Bacon. 2. (Arch.) A dwarf wall or partition carried up to a certain height for separation and protection, as in a church, to separate the aisle from the choir, or the like. 3. A surface, as that afforded by a curtain, sheet, wall, etc., upon which an image, as a picture, is thrown by a magic lantern, solar microscope, etc. 4. A long, coarse riddle or sieve, sometimes a revolving perforated cylinder, used to separate the coarser from the finer parts, as of coal, sand, gravel, and the like.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Screen Screen (skr[=e]n), n. (Cricket) An erection of white canvas or wood placed on the boundary opposite a batsman to enable him to see ball better.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(screens, screening, screened) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. A screen is a flat vertical surface on which pictures or words are shown. Television sets and computers have screens, and films are shown on a screen in cinemas. N-COUNT see also big screen, small screen, widescreen 2. You can refer to film or television as the screen. Many viewers have strong opinions about violence on the screen... She was the ideal American teenager, both on and off screen. N-SING: the N, also on/off N 3. When a film or a television programme is screened, it is shown in the cinema or broadcast on television. The series is likely to be screened in January... TV firms were later banned from screening any pictures of the demo. VERB: be V-ed, V n • screening (screenings) The film-makers will be present at the screenings to introduce their works. N-COUNT 4. A screen is a vertical panel which can be moved around. It is used to keep cold air away from part of a room, or to create a smaller area within a room. They put a screen in front of me so I couldn't see what was going on. N-COUNT 5. If something is screened by another thing, it is behind it and hidden by it. Most of the road behind the hotel was screened by a block of flats. VERB: usu passive, be V-ed by n 6. To screen for a disease means to examine people to make sure that they do not have it. ...a quick saliva test that would screen for people at risk of tooth decay. VERB: V for n • screening Britain has an enviable record on breast screening for cancer. N-VAR: usu N for n 7. When an organization screens people who apply to join it, it investigates them to make sure that they are not likely to cause problems. They will screen all their candidates. ...screening procedures for the regiment. VERB: V n, V-ing 8. To screen people or luggage means to check them using special equipment to make sure they are not carrying a weapon or a bomb. The airline had been screening baggage on X-ray machines. VERB: V n 9. If you screen your telephone calls, calls made to you are connected to an answering machine or are answered by someone else, so that you can choose whether or not to speak to the people phoning you. I employ a secretary to screen my calls. VERB: V n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Protection, guard, defence, shield. 2. Veil, disguise, cloak, cover. 3. Sieve, riddle. II. v. a. 1. Hide, shelter, cover, conceal, shroud, mask, cloak, protect, fence, defend. 2. Riddle, sift.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

A bank note. Queer screens; forged bank notes. The cove was twisted for smashing queer screens; the fellow was hanged for uttering forged bank notes.

Moby Thesaurus

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