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¹screen

noun \ˈskrēn\

Definition of SCREEN

: a protective or ornamental device (as a movable partition) shielding an area from heat or drafts or from view

: 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

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>

d : a frame holding a usually metallic netting used especially in a window or door to exclude pests (as insects)

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

: a glass plate ruled with crossing opaque lines through which an image is photographed in making a halftone

: the motion-picture medium or industry

See screen defined for English-language learners

See screen defined for kids

Origin of SCREEN

Middle English screne, from Anglo-French escren, from Middle Dutch scherm; akin to Old High German skirm shield; probably akin to Sanskrit carman skin, kṛnāti he injures — more at shear

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to SCREEN

Synonyms: big screen, cinema, film, filmdom, filmland, filmmaking, moviemaking, pictures, movie, silver screen

Other Field and Goal Sports Terms

crease, lateral, lax, overthrow, playbook, post, scrum, secondary, ultimate

Rhymes with SCREEN

bean, clean, dean, Dean, Deane, dene, e'en, gene, glean, green, jean, keen, lean, lien, mean, mesne, mien, peen, preen, quean, queen, scene, sheen, shin, sin, spean, spleen, teen, tween, wean, ween, wheen, yean

²screen

verb

: to examine (people or things) in order to decide if they are suitable for a particular purpose

: to do a test on (someone) to find out if that person has or is likely to develop a disease

: to do a test on (a person's blood, urine, etc.) to find out if the person has been using an illegal substance

Full Definition of SCREEN

transitive verb

: to guard from injury or danger

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

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>

: to provide with a screen to keep out pests (as insects)

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

: to appear on a motion-picture screen

: to provide a screen in a game or sport

— screen·able \ˈskrē-nə-bəl\ adjective

— screen·er noun

See screen defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of SCREEN

15th century

Related to SCREEN

Synonyms: bulwark, cover, fence, fend, forfend, guard, keep, protect, safeguard, defend, secure, shield, ward

Antonyms: assail, assault, attack

Synonym Discussion of SCREEN

hide, conceal, screen, secrete, bury mean to withhold or withdraw from sight. hide may or may not suggest intent <hide in the closet> <a house hidden in the woods>. conceal usually does imply intent and often specifically implies a refusal to divulge <concealed the weapon>. screen implies an interposing of something that prevents discovery <a house screened by trees>. secrete suggests a depositing in a place unknown to others <secreted the amulet inside his shirt>. bury implies covering up so as to hide completely <buried the treasure>.

SCREENS Defined for Kids

¹screen

noun \ˈskrēn\

Definition of SCREEN for Kids

: a frame that holds a usually wire netting and is used to let air in but keep pests (as insects) out <a window screen>

: a curtain or wall used to hide or to protect

: the flat surface on which movies are projected

: the surface on which the image appears in an electronic display (as on a television set or computer terminal)

: a network of wire set in a frame for separating finer parts from coarser parts (as of sand)

²screen

verb

screenedscreen·ing

Definition of SCREEN for Kids

: to hide or protect with or as if with a curtain or wall <… the graveyard … was screened by a stand of evergreens. — Richard Peck, A Year Down Yonder>

: to separate or sift with a network of wire set in a frame

: to look at carefully to select as suitable <The committee screened job candidates.>