Disguise

Disguise
For other uses, see Disguise (disambiguation).
Buster Keaton using his tie as a disguise
A gun disguised as a maglite
Hitler depicted in possible disguises by the United States Secret Service in 1944

A disguise can be anything which conceals or changes a person's physical appearance, including a wig, glasses, makeup, costume or other ways. Camouflage is one type of disguise for people, animals and objects. Hats, glasses, change in hair style or wigs, plastic surgery, and make-up are also used.

Disguises are used by criminals such as bank robbers and by spies seeking to avoid identification. A well-known person or celebrity may choose to go "incognito" in order to avoid unwelcome press attention. In comic books and films disguises are used by superheroes and in science fiction by aliens. Dressing up in costumes is a Halloween tradition.

In fiction

In comic book and superhero stories, disguises are used to hide secret identities and keep special powers secret from ordinary people. For example, Superman passes himself off as Clark Kent, and Spider-Man disguises himself in a costume so that he cannot be recognized as Peter Parker.

In science fiction, aliens often take on a human appearance wearing "human suits" as a disguise.

In epic poetry, Odysseus uses the disguise of a beggar to test his family's and servants' loyalty upon his return from a 20 voyage.

Disguise is sometimes used in criminal activity and in spying, and is a common trope in detective fiction and in spy stories. Sherlock Holmes often disguised himself as somebody else to avoid being recognized.

See also

References


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Synonyms:
(by dress or outward appearance), , , , , , , / , , / , , , , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • disguise — vb Disguise, cloak, mask, dissemble, camouflage are comparable when meaning to assume a dress, an ap pearance, or an expression that conceals one s identity, intention, or true feeling. Disguise, which basically implies an alteration in one s… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Disguise — Dis*guise (?; 232), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Disguised}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Disguising}.] [OE. desguisen, disgisen, degisen, OF. desguisier, F. d[ e]guiser; pref. des (L. dis ) + guise. See {Guise}.] 1. To change the guise or appearance of; especially …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Disguise — Dis*guise , n. 1. A dress or exterior put on for purposes of concealment or of deception; as, persons doing unlawful acts in disguise are subject to heavy penalties. [1913 Webster] There is no passion which steals into the heart more… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • disguise — [dis gīz′] vt. disguised, disguising [ME disgisen < OFr desguiser, to change costume: see DIS & GUISE] 1. to make appear, sound, etc. different from usual so as to be unrecognizable [to disguise one s voice] 2. to hide or obscure the existence …   English World dictionary

  • disguise — [n] covering, makeup for deception beard, blind, camouflage, charade, cloak, color, coloring, concealment, costume, counterfeit, cover up, dissimulation, dress, facade, face, faking, false front*, fig leaf*, front*, get up, guise, illusion, make… …   New thesaurus

  • disguise — I noun artifice, camouflage, caricature, cloak, concealment counterfeit, cover, covering, deception, deceptive covering, dissimulation, facade, faking, false appearance, false colors, false copy, false front, guise, hiding, imitation, mask,… …   Law dictionary

  • disguise — verb is spelt ise, not ize. See ise …   Modern English usage

  • disguise — ► VERB 1) alter in appearance or nature so as to conceal the identity of. 2) hide the nature or existence of (a feeling or situation). ► NOUN ▪ a means of disguising one s identity. ORIGIN Old French desguisier …   English terms dictionary

  • disguise — dis|guise1 [dısˈgaız] v [T] [Date: 1300 1400; : Old French; Origin: desguiser, from guise appearance ] 1.) to change someone s appearance so that people cannot recognize them disguise yourself as sb/sth ▪ Maybe you could disguise yourself as a… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • disguise — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun ADJECTIVE ▪ clever, good ▪ thin ▪ State regulation often served as a thin disguise for corruption. VERB + DISGUISE ▪ adopt …   Collocations dictionary

  • disguise — I UK [dɪsˈɡaɪz] / US verb [transitive] Word forms disguise : present tense I/you/we/they disguise he/she/it disguises present participle disguising past tense disguised past participle disguised * 1) to hide something such as your feelings or… …   English dictionary

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