Man"tle (?), n. [OE. mantel, OF.
mantel, F. manteau, fr. L. mantellum,
mantelum, a cloth, napkin, cloak, mantle (cf. mantele,
mantile, towel, napkin); prob. from manus hand + the
root of tela cloth. See Manual, Textile, and cf.
Mandil, Mantel, Mantilla.]
1. A loose garment to be worn over other
garments; an enveloping robe; a cloak. Hence, figuratively, a
covering or concealing envelope.
[The] children are clothed with mantles of
satin.
Bacon.
The green mantle of the standing
pool.
Shak.
Now Nature hangs her mantle green
On every blooming tree.
Burns.
2. (Her.) Same as
Mantling.
3. (Zoöl.) (a)
The external fold, or folds, of the soft, exterior membrane of
the body of a mollusk. It usually forms a cavity inclosing the gills.
See Illusts. of Buccinum, and Byssus.
(b) Any free, outer membrane.
(c) The back of a bird together with the folded
wings.
4. (Arch.) A mantel. See
Mantel.
5. The outer wall and casing of a blast
furnace, above the hearth. Raymond.
6. (Hydraulic Engin.) A penstock for a
water wheel.
Man"tle, v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Mantled (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Mantling (?).] To cover or envelop, as with a mantle; to
cloak; to hide; to disguise. Shak.
Man"tle, v. i. 1.
To unfold and spread out the wings, like a mantle; -- said of
hawks. Also used figuratively.
Ne is there hawk which mantleth on her
perch.
Spenser.
Or tend his sparhawk mantling in her
mew.
Bp. Hall.
My frail fancy fed with full delight.
Doth bathe in bliss, and mantleth most at ease.
Spenser.
2. To spread out; -- said of wings.
The swan, with arched neck
Between her white wings mantling proudly, rows.
Milton.
3. To spread over the surface as a covering;
to overspread; as, the scum mantled on the pool.
Though mantled in her cheek the
blood.
Sir W. Scott.
4. To gather, assume, or take on, a covering,
as froth, scum, etc.
There is a sort of men whose visages
Do cream and mantle like a standing pond.
Shak.
Nor bowl of wassail mantle warm.
Tennyson.
