English Reference
Idiom idiom

take the veil


To retire into a convent and live as a nun.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

She decided to take the veil and join the convent.

CONTEXTUAL

After years of searching for spiritual peace, she finally chose to take the veil and dedicate her life to the church.

COMPLEX

Following the tragic loss of her family, she renounced her worldly possessions and took the veil, seeking solace within the quiet walls of the monastery.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    be taken ill

    To become ill.

  2. 02

    cross to take up

    Alternative form of cross to bear.

  3. 03

    dance of the seven veils

    A striptease performance.

  4. 04

    forget to take one's medication this morning

    To be annoyed or irritable, or to behave in an ill-mannered way, particularly in the morning.

  5. 05

    get taken in

    To be fooled; to fall for.

  6. 06

    give and take

    A process of compromise or accommodation.

  7. 07

    give someone an inch and someone will take a mile

    Alternative form of give them an inch and they'll take a mile.

  8. 08

    have one's name taken

    To receive a yellow card.

Last updated August 10, 2026