King James Bible Dictionary

SHROUD, noun

1. A shelter; a cover; that which covers, conceals or protects.

Swaddled, as new born, in sable shrouds. Sandys.

2. The dress of the dead; a winding sheet.

3. Shroud or shrouds of a ship, a range of large ropes extending from the head of a mast to the right and left sides of the ship, to support the mast; as the main shrouds; fore shrouds; mizen shrouds. There are also futtock shrouds, bowsprit shrouds, etc.

4. A branch of a tree. [Not proper.]

SHROUD, verb transitive

1. To cover; to shelter from danger or annoyance.

Under your beams I will me safely shroud. Spenser.

One of these trees with all its young ones, may shroud four hundred horsemen. Raleigh.

2. To dress for the grave; to cover; as a dead body.

The ancient Egyptian mummies were shrouded in several folds of linen besmeared with gums. Bacon.

3. To cover; to conceal to hide; as, to be shrouded in darkness.

-Some tempest rise,

And blow out all the stars that light the skies,

To shroud my name. Dryden.

4. To defend; to protect by hiding.

So Venus from prevailing Greeks did shroud

The hope of Rome, and saved him in a cloud. Waller.

5. To overwhelm; as, to be shrouded in despair.

6. To lop the branches of a tree. [Unusual or improper.]

SHROUD, verb intransitive To take shelter or harbor.

If your stray attendants be yet lodg'd

Or shroud within these limits- Milton.

SHROUD'ED, participle passive Dressed; covered; concealed; sheltered; overwhelmed.

SHROUD'ING, participle present tense Dressing; covering; cocealing; sheltering; overwhelming.

SHROUD'Y, adjective Affording shelter.