En*vel"op (?), v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Enveloped (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Enveloping.] [OE. envolupen, envolipen, OF.
envoluper, envoleper, F. envelopper; pref.
en- (L. in) + voluper, voleper. See
Develop.] To put a covering about; to wrap up or in; to
inclose within a case, wrapper, integument or the like; to surround
entirely; as, to envelop goods or a letter; the fog
envelops a ship.
Nocturnal shades this world
envelop.
J. Philips.
{ En"vel*ope (?; 277), En*vel"op (?; 277), }
n. [F. enveloppe.] 1.
That which envelops, wraps up, encases, or surrounds; a wrapper;
an inclosing cover; esp., the cover or wrapper of a document, as of a
letter.
2. (Astron.) The nebulous covering of
the head or nucleus of a comet; -- called also coma.
3. (Fort.) A work of earth, in the
form of a single parapet or of a small rampart. It is sometimes
raised in the ditch and sometimes beyond it.
Wilhelm.
4. (Geom.) A curve or surface which is
tangent to each member of a system of curves or surfaces, the form
and position of the members of the system being allowed to vary
according to some continuous law. Thus, any curve is the
envelope of its tangents.
