She shall not see me: I will ensconce me behind the arras. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
ensconce — [en skäns′, inskäns′] vt. ensconced, ensconcing [ EN 1 + SCONCE2] 1. Now Rare to hide; conceal; shelter 2. to place or settle comfortably, snugly, or securely [to ensconce oneself in an armchair] … English World dictionary
ensconce — I verb blanket, camouflage, cloak, cloud, conceal, cover, cover up, curtain, disguise, eclipse, encase, enclose, enshield, enshroud, envelop, enwrap, guard, hide, hide away, hide from view, hide securely, keep from danger, keep guarded, keep… … Law dictionary
ensconce — 1580s, to cover with a fort, from EN (Cf. en ) (1) make, put in + sconce small fortification, shelter, perhaps via French, probably from Du. schans earthwork (Cf. M.H.G. schanze bundle of sticks ), of uncertain origin. Related: Ensconced … Etymology dictionary
ensconce — screen, secrete, *hide, conceal, cache, bury Analogous words: shield, guard, safeguard, protect, *defend: shelter, lodge (see HARBOR) Contrasted words: expose, exhibit, display, *show … New Dictionary of Synonyms
ensconce — [v] hide; tuck away bury, cache, conceal, cover, curl up, ditch, establish, fix, install, locate, nestle, place, plant, protect, screen, seat, secrete, set, settle, shelter, shield, situate, snuggle up, stash, station; concepts 188,201 Ant.… … New thesaurus
ensconce — ► VERB ▪ establish in a comfortable, safe, or secret place. ORIGIN originally in the senses «fortify» and «shelter with a fortification»: from archaic sconce, denoting a small fort or earthwork, from High German schanze brushwood … English terms dictionary
ensconce — UK [ɪnˈskɒns] / US [ɪnˈskɑns] verb [transitive] Word forms ensconce : present tense I/you/we/they ensconce he/she/it ensconces present participle ensconcing past tense ensconced past participle ensconced literary if you ensconce yourself or if… … English dictionary
ensconce — en|sconce [ınˈskɔns US ınˈska:ns] v [T usually passive] [Date: 1500 1600; Origin: sconce small strong building for defense (16 19 centuries), from Dutch schans] to settle yourself in a place where you feel comfortable and safe ensconce in/at/on… … Dictionary of contemporary English
ensconce — en|sconce [ ın skans ] verb transitive LITERARY if you ensconce yourself somewhere, you put yourself into a comfortable or safe position … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
ensconce — verb (T) to put yourself in a comfortable and safe place: ensconce yourself: He ensconced himself in an armchair in front of the fire. | safely ensconced in the penthouse suite … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
