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