mask
/mɑːsk/ (bre, ipa) · /mæsk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmask/ (ame, mw)
mask — noun
- masksingular
- masksplural
1. An object made of fabric or other material that people put on their face to prot
An object made of fabric or other material that people put on their face to protect against germs or dust, to keep their identity hidden, or for fun as part of a costume.
Cyrus wore a surgical mask on the crowded morning train.
collocation: surgical mask for medical protection
The bank robber's black mask left only his eyes showing.
Beatrix painted a colourful mask for the school carnival parade.
Hikers in dry regions sometimes carry a dust mask for protection.
The hospital requires everyone to wear a mask in the waiting area.
- face covering
a broader term that includes scarves or cloth tied around the face
- veil
specifically a thin cloth covering the face, often for religious or fashion reasons
- disguise
focuses on hiding identity rather than protection
文法句型
mask + of + material
常見錯誤
2. A thick cream or a soft sheet of material that is spread over the face and remov
A thick cream or a soft sheet of material that is spread over the face and removed after a short time to clean, moisturise, or improve the condition of the skin.
Anjali applies a clay mask every Sunday to clean her pores.
collocation: clay mask for pore cleaning
This sheet mask is soaked in a serum that brightens tired skin.
collocation: sheet mask for skincare
Esteban left the moisturising mask on for fifteen minutes before rinsing it off.
Sade uses a peel-off mask to remove dead cells from her face.
- face pack
chiefly British; a thick cream or gel applied to the face as a treatment
- facial mask
the same thing, slightly more formal term
文法句型
apply + mask
mask + for + skin type
用法筆記
Often preceded by a descriptive word indicating the type or function: 'clay mask', 'sheet mask', 'hydrating mask', 'charcoal mask'.
常見錯誤
3. A way of behaving or a false appearance that hides someone's true feelings, char
A way of behaving or a false appearance that hides someone's true feelings, character, or the real facts of a situation.
His cheerful mask quickly fell away when he heard the bad news.
collocation: mask falls away (idiomatic)
Under a mask of calm confidence, Christopher was terribly nervous.
preposition pattern: under a mask of
Sumin's friendly behaviour was merely a mask for her deep jealousy.
The company's cheerful ads were a mask for serious financial trouble.
- honesty
the opposite of hiding one's true feelings or facts
文法句型
mask of + noun
under a mask of
behind a mask of
用法筆記
Commonly used in the pattern 'a mask of + abstract noun' (mask of indifference, mask of friendliness, mask of professionalism).
4. On some animals and birds, a differently coloured zone of fur or feathers on the
On some animals and birds, a differently coloured zone of fur or feathers on the face — usually around the eyes — that stands apart from the colour of the rest of the head.
A raccoon's dark facial mask helps it blend into the nighttime shadows.
The panda's black-and-white eye mask makes it one of the most recognisable animals.
collocation: eye mask for animal colouration
Many songbird species have a mask of darker feathers around their eyes.
The badger's black-and-white facial pattern is also called a mask.
- facial marking
a broader, less specific term for any colour pattern on an animal's face
文法句型
facial mask
eye mask
用法筆記
This is a specialised use in biology and birdwatching. Not all dark eye markings are called masks — the term is used when the colour forms a noticeable band or patch across the eye area.
mask — verb
- maskpresent simple I / you / we / they
- masks3rd person singular
- masking-ing form
- maskedpast simple
1. To keep something such as an emotion, an unpleasant smell, or the truth from bei
To keep something such as an emotion, an unpleasant smell, or the truth from being seen, known, or detected by other people.
Hoa tried to mask her disappointment with a polite smile.
pattern: mask + emotion + with + behaviour
The fresh paint masked the smell of smoke in the old apartment.
James could not mask his surprise when he saw the enormous cake.
Strong perfume is sometimes used to mask unpleasant odours in a room.
The upbeat sales report masked serious problems deep inside the company.
文法句型
mask + noun (feeling/smell/fact)
be masked + by + noun
mask + that-clause (rare)
用法筆記
Frequently used with nouns for emotions (disappointment, anger, fear) or sensory things (smell, taste, sound). When used with facts or problems, it suggests intentional hiding.
常見錯誤
2. To hide or suppress natural signs of autism, ADHD, or other neurodivergent trait
To hide or suppress natural signs of autism, ADHD, or other neurodivergent traits in order to fit in with social expectations, often at the cost of mental energy.
For years Élise masked her autistic traits to avoid standing out at work.
pattern: mask + neurodivergent traits
Many adults learn to mask their neurodivergent behaviours without realising how tiring it is.
Hamza felt completely drained after a day of masking at social events.
Teachers are learning to recognise when a student is masking rather than coping well.
- camouflage
used similarly in psychology literature; the person adapts to blend in socially
- suppress
focuses on holding back natural responses rather than actively pretending
- unmask
in neurodiversity contexts, to stop masking and allow natural behaviours to show
文法句型
mask + noun (traits/behaviour)
mask (intransitive: no object)
用法筆記
This is a relatively recent specialised sense from psychology and neurodiversity advocacy. It is distinct from verb/1 (CONCEAL) because it specifically refers to suppressing one's innate neurological traits rather than hiding any general thing.
常見錯誤
3. To put a physical covering over your own face or someone else's face, or to cove
To put a physical covering over your own face or someone else's face, or to cover an object with a protective layer, typically for safety or hygiene.
Gabriel masked himself before entering the contaminated laboratory area.
reflexive use: masked himself before entering
The firefighters masked their faces against the thick black smoke.
Passengers masked up before boarding the flight during the outbreak.
The painter masked the window frames with tape before spraying the walls.
- cover up
less specific; can mean covering any part of the body with anything
- unmask
to remove a mask from the face
文法句型
mask + noun (face/oneself)
mask up (phrasal verb variant)
用法筆記
This sense focuses on the physical action of putting on a mask. The intransitive form 'mask up' is informal and became common during disease outbreaks.