Definition

Verb: * To become covered or obscured by a haze, mist, or film, making things less clear or distinct. * (Figuratively) For one's vision, memory, or mind to become unclear, blurred, or clouded.

Usage and Examples

• Literal (Atmospheric): Describes when the sky, a view, or a distant object becomes less clear due to particles in the air.
  • The mountains hazed over as the afternoon heat increased.
  • The windshield hazed over with condensation in the cold weather.
• Literal (Surface): Describes when a transparent surface becomes cloudy or filmy.
  • The old windowpane had hazed over with age.
• Figurative (Perception/Memory): Describes when clarity is lost in thought, sight, or recollection.
  • Her eyes hazed over with tears as she listened to the story.
  • My memory of that day has hazed over with time.

Advanced Usage

• "to haze over": The standard phrasal verb form.
  • The future seems to haze over with uncertainty.
• Causative Form: While less common, the transitive form "to haze something over" can be used.
  • Dust from the road hazed the landscape over.

Variants and Related Words

• Hazy (adj): Covered by or resembling a haze; vague or indistinct.
  • a hazy summer day; a hazy recollection
• Haze (n): A slight obscuration of the lower atmosphere, typically caused by fine suspended particles; a state of mental confusion.
  • The city was covered in a brown haze.

Synonyms

• Become cloudy: To become covered with or as if with clouds.
• Blur: To make or become unclear or less distinct.
• Film over: To become covered with a thin layer, causing obscurity.
• Mist over: To become covered with mist or as if with mist.
• Obscure: To keep from being seen; to conceal. (This is the direct synonym from the reference definition.)

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Cloud over: (For the sky) to become covered with clouds; (for a face or mood) to become sad or angry.
  • His expression clouded over when he heard the news.
• Glaze over: (For eyes) to take on a fixed, dull expression, often from boredom or inattention.
  • The student's eyes glazed over during the long lecture.

Related Idioms

• (One's mind) goes blank: To be suddenly unable to think of anything or remember something.
  • When she asked me the question, my mind just went blank.
  • (Note: This idiom implies a complete loss, whereas "haze over" implies a partial obscuring.)

Verb

1. make less visible or unclear
   • The stars are obscured by the clouds
   • the big elm tree obscures our view of the valley