v. Forms: 4–7 concele, (4 Sc. -ceil, 5 -sele, -seale, -sile), 6–7 conceale, 6– conceal. [a. OF. concele-r:—L. concēlā-re, f. con- together, completely + cēlāre to hide.]
1. trans. To keep from the knowledge or observation of others, refrain from disclosing or divulging, keep close or secret.
In earliest use referring to the duty of a vassal to conceal his lord’s counsel or secrets, and not to conceal matters to his lord’s injury.
[1292. Britton, I. iii. § 4. Et puis jure le viscounte, qe il … les priveteez et les counseils de lour heyre ben concelera. Ibid., I. xxii. § 2. Rien conceler qe a profit de nous dust estre.]
1375. Barbour, Bruce, IV. 577. [He] couth Secretis rycht weili conceil.
1491. Act 7 Hen. VII., c. 22, Pream. The seid John … caste the seid writing in the fire and conseled all the matier.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., V. iii. 115. If sir, you come with news from the Court … there is but two wayes, either to vtter them, or to conceale them.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 751. Thy praise hee … Conceales not from us.
1767. Junius Lett., xxxv. 163. Has your favourite concealed from you that part of our history?
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xxvi. Concealing from him all knowledge who or what he was.
1883. Lloyd, Ebb & Flow, II. 175. The latter would not conceal her pleasure at the bequest.
† b. To keep secret the identity of, to disguise; to dissemble. Obs.
1598–9. E. Forde, Parismus, I. (1661), 10. Ladies … whom the Queene had entertained not knowing what they were, because they concealed themselues.
a. 1674. Clarendon, Surv. Leviath. (1676), 305. To dissemble or concele that Fidelity and Allegiance they ow’d.
1718. Freethinker, No. 13. 84. Calista is the Name under which I shall conceal the Lady.
† c. ? intr. (for refl.) To hide. Obs. rare.
a. 1400[?]. Chester Pl., I. (1843), 148. Lorde God … That dyed for mankindes heale, Thou come to us and not conseale But be our counsceler.
2. trans. To put, remove, or keep out of sight or notice; to hide. (Predicated of a person; also of a thing that obstructs the view.)
1595. [see CONCEALED].
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., III. i. 53. Bring me to heare them speak, where I may be conceal’d.
1671. Villiers (Dk. Buckhm.), Rehearsal, III. ii. (Arb.), 83. The Army, that lies conceal’d for him in Knights-bridge.
1700. Dryden, Sigism. & Guisc., 612. A goblet rich with gems the hollow part Enclosed, the lid concealed the lover’s heart.
1771. Smollett, Humph. Cl. (1811), VI. 347. He could not see us, for there was a blind that concealed us from the view.
1875. Jevons, Money (1878), 159. Small holes can be … concealed by hammering.
1883. Froude, Short Stud., IV. I. x. 124. [He] could have concealed himself in any one of a hundred hiding-places.
absol. 1850. Emerson, Cond. Life, Wealth, Wks. (Bohn), II. 349. They who hoard and conceal.
b. transf. To hide from other senses.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, Charac., Wks. (Bohn), II. 63. As the musician plays the air which he proceeds to conceal in a tempest of variations.
1884. Stevenson, New Arab. Nts., 211. The noises of the storm effectually concealed all others.
Hence Concealing vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1580. Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Recellement, a concealing.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. ii. 34. Double griefs afflict concealing harts.
1656. Artif. Handsomeness, 163. Ingenuous concealings, or amendings of what is … amisse.
1870. Proctor, Other Worlds, iv. 98. If we held the concealing medium to be of a cloudy nature.
