unmask


Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia.
Related to unmask: Umask

un·mask

 (ŭn-măsk′)
v. un·masked, un·mask·ing, un·masks
v.tr.
1. To remove a mask from.
2. To disclose the true character of; expose.
v.intr.
To remove one's mask.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

unmask

(ʌnˈmɑːsk)
vb
1. to remove (the mask or disguise) from (someone or oneself)
2. to appear or cause to appear in true character
3. (Military) (tr) military to make evident the presence of (weapons), either by firing or by the removal of camouflage, etc
unˈmasker n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

un•mask

(ʌnˈmæsk, -ˈmɑsk)

v.t.
1. to strip a mask or disguise from.
2. to reveal the true character of; disclose; expose.
v.i.
3. to put off one's mask; appear in true nature.
[1580–90]
un•mask′er, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

unmask


Past participle: unmasked
Gerund: unmasking

Imperative
unmask
unmask
Present
I unmask
you unmask
he/she/it unmasks
we unmask
you unmask
they unmask
Preterite
I unmasked
you unmasked
he/she/it unmasked
we unmasked
you unmasked
they unmasked
Present Continuous
I am unmasking
you are unmasking
he/she/it is unmasking
we are unmasking
you are unmasking
they are unmasking
Present Perfect
I have unmasked
you have unmasked
he/she/it has unmasked
we have unmasked
you have unmasked
they have unmasked
Past Continuous
I was unmasking
you were unmasking
he/she/it was unmasking
we were unmasking
you were unmasking
they were unmasking
Past Perfect
I had unmasked
you had unmasked
he/she/it had unmasked
we had unmasked
you had unmasked
they had unmasked
Future
I will unmask
you will unmask
he/she/it will unmask
we will unmask
you will unmask
they will unmask
Future Perfect
I will have unmasked
you will have unmasked
he/she/it will have unmasked
we will have unmasked
you will have unmasked
they will have unmasked
Future Continuous
I will be unmasking
you will be unmasking
he/she/it will be unmasking
we will be unmasking
you will be unmasking
they will be unmasking
Present Perfect Continuous
I have been unmasking
you have been unmasking
he/she/it has been unmasking
we have been unmasking
you have been unmasking
they have been unmasking
Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been unmasking
you will have been unmasking
he/she/it will have been unmasking
we will have been unmasking
you will have been unmasking
they will have been unmasking
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been unmasking
you had been unmasking
he/she/it had been unmasking
we had been unmasking
you had been unmasking
they had been unmasking
Conditional
I would unmask
you would unmask
he/she/it would unmask
we would unmask
you would unmask
they would unmask
Past Conditional
I would have unmasked
you would have unmasked
he/she/it would have unmasked
we would have unmasked
you would have unmasked
they would have unmasked
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Verb1.unmask - reveal the true nature ofunmask - reveal the true nature of; "The journal article unmasked the corrupt politician"
debunk, expose - expose while ridiculing; especially of pretentious or false claims and ideas; "The physicist debunked the psychic's claims"
2.unmask - take the mask off; "unmask the imposter"
uncover, expose - remove all or part of one's clothes to show one's body; "uncover your belly"; "The man exposed himself in the subway"
mask - put a mask on or cover with a mask; "Mask the children for Halloween"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

unmask

verb reveal, expose, uncover, discover, disclose, unveil, show up, lay bare, bring to light, uncloak Elliott unmasked the master spy and traitor.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

unmask

verb
To make visible; bring to view:
Archaic: discover.
Idioms: bring to light, lay open, make plain.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations

unmask

[ˈʌnˈmɑːsk]
A. VT (lit, fig) → desenmascarar
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

unmask

[ˌʌnˈmɑːsk] vtdémasquer
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

unmask

vt (lit)demaskieren; (fig)entlarven
vidie Maske abnehmen, sich demaskieren
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

unmask

[ʌnˈmɑːsk] vt (fig) → smascherare
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
References in classic literature ?
The artistic thing is, to unmask honest countenances; it's no light task, I admit, but a real art."
Attempts so extravagant as these to disfigure or, it might rather be said, to metamorphose the object, render it necessary to take an accurate view of its real nature and form: in order as well to ascertain its true aspect and genuine appearance, as to unmask the disingenuity and expose the fallacy of the counterfeit resemblances which have been so insidiously, as well as industriously, propagated.
One morning, though I had never tried my hand with the pen, it suddenly occurred to me to write a satire on this officer in the form of a novel which would unmask his villainy.
Seize him and unmask him--that we may know whom we have to hang, at sunrise, from the battlements!"
Oh, how I would guard him, how I would tell him the truth, how I would unmask his deceivers!" And in order to realize vividly his love devotion to the sovereign, Rostov pictured to himself an enemy or a deceitful German, whom he would not only kill with pleasure but whom he would slap in the face before the Emperor.
Richard well knew that, when he came to propose a reading-desk and a chancel, he must unmask; for these were arrangements known to no church in the country but his own.
he is still sulky and reserved in the expression of this sentiment, I shall give my money to Athos to take away with him, and remain in England just long enough to unmask him, then, as I have a quick eye and a light foot, I shall notice the first hostile sign; to decamp or conceal myself at the residence of my lord of Buckingham, who seems a good sort of devil at the bottom, and to whom, in return for his hospitality, I shall relate all that history of the diamonds, which can now compromise nobody but an old queen, who need not be ashamed, after being the wife of a miserly creature like Mazarin, of having formerly been the mistress of a handsome nobleman like Buckingham.
In an instant he would unmask the deception that M.
"Because their chief - the very soul of the enterprise - having been unmasked by me, the whole plan seems to me to have miscarried."
This moment came, but although all other unmasked; the secret knight still refused to allow his features to be seen, till at last the Queen driven by curiosity, and vexed at the obstinate refusal; commanded him to open his Vizier.
We have seen how his imprudence in following Rosa into the garden had unmasked him in the eyes of the young damsel, and how the instinctive fears of Cornelius had put the two lovers on their guard against him.
In short, no sooner had the amorous parley ended and the lady had unmasked the royal battery, by carelessly letting her handkerchief drop from her neck, than the heart of Mr Jones was entirely taken, and the fair conqueror enjoyed the usual fruits of her victory."