take the veil

Học thuật
Thân thiện
Definition

Verb: - To become a nun; to enter a religious order of women, especially one that requires wearing a distinctive head covering (a veil) as part of the habit.

Usage

This phrase is used to describe the specific act of a woman formally entering a convent or religious sisterhood, thereby committing to a life of religious vows. It is a formal and somewhat traditional or literary expression.

Examples
  • After a period of deep reflection, she decided to take the veil.
  • The story tells of a princess who took the veil to escape an arranged marriage.
  • She took the veil at the age of twenty-one.
Advanced Usage
  • The phrase often implies a permanent, solemn commitment. It can be used metaphorically in literature to signify a withdrawal from the secular world into a life of seclusion or singular dedication, though this is less common.
Variants and Related Words
  • Take vows: A more general phrase for entering religious life, applicable to both men and women.
  • Enter a convent: A more direct, modern way to express the same idea.
  • Become a nun: The simplest and most common modern equivalent.
Synonyms
  • Enter religious life
  • Become a sister
  • Join a convent
Antonyms
  • Leave the convent
  • Secularize
Related Idioms
  • While not a direct idiom, the act is sometimes described as or .
Verb
  1. become a nun
    • The young woman took the veil after her fiance died