Guise
noun
An appearance or form that hides the true nature of a person or thing.
He visited us under the guise of a close friend.
Often appears as...
- under the guise of
- guise of innocence
noun
An external form, appearance, or manner of presentation, typically concealing the true nature of something.
She had a talent for public speaking and could assume the guise of any character in her plays.
Often appears as...
- assume the guise
- perfect guise
Usage tips
Literary
noun
An appearance or form that hides the true nature of a person or thing.
He visited us under the guise of a close friend.
Often appears as...
- under the guise of
- guise of innocence
noun
An external form, appearance, or manner of presentation, typically concealing the true nature of something.
She had a talent for public speaking and could assume the guise of any character in her plays.
Often appears as...
- assume the guise
- perfect guise
Usage tips
Literary
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Deception Element
Guise often implies a deceptive intention to make something appear different from reality.
He deceived everyone with his guise of being an expert.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Negative
While 'guise' can suggest trickery, it can also simply refer to a role without negative connotations.
She performed under the guise of a concerned neighbor.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Nuance
'Guise' might be used in situations involving cultural or social roles and masks we wear.
At the carnival, people danced in the guise of ancient gods.
Pro Tip 1/3Deception Element
Guise often implies a deceptive intention to make something appear different from reality.
He deceived everyone with his guise of being an expert.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Negative
While 'guise' can suggest trickery, it can also simply refer to a role without negative connotations.
She performed under the guise of a concerned neighbor.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Nuance
'Guise' might be used in situations involving cultural or social roles and masks we wear.
At the carnival, people danced in the guise of ancient gods.
Pro Tip 1/3Deception Element
Guise often implies a deceptive intention to make something appear different from reality.
He deceived everyone with his guise of being an expert.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Negative
While 'guise' can suggest trickery, it can also simply refer to a role without negative connotations.
She performed under the guise of a concerned neighbor.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Nuance
'Guise' might be used in situations involving cultural or social roles and masks we wear.
At the carnival, people danced in the guise of ancient gods.
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Video examples
We should aim for...
are all advocating against the idea of perfection under this guise that somehow not trying to be perfect will save your self-esteem and protect your ego. But, see, it's not working, because the self-help industry today has a higher recidivism rate because it's more focused on teaching you how to accept being a failure
Video examples
Susan Blackmore: Memes...
the rate of planets, but crucially, intelligence. I think that's the wrong way to think about it. Intelligence appears all over the place, in all kinds of guises. Human intelligence is only one kind of a thing. But what's really important is the replicators you have
Video examples
ET is (probably) out...
also chemistry various scientific disciplines all can be presented in the guise of we're looking for et so to me this is this is interesting and important and in fact it's my policy even though I give a lot of talks to adults you give talks to adults in two
Video examples
Rachel Botsman: The...
How to ensure our digital identities reflect our real world identities? Do we want them to be the same? How do we mimic the way trust is built face-to-face online? How do we stop people who've behaved badly in one community doing so under a different guise?
Video examples
What you need to know...
in which abusers pick up information about you that you don't otherwise want them to know. It is not uncommon for abusers to go to friends and family and ask for information about their victims under the guise of being concerned about their "mental health."
Video examples
Nathaniel Kahn: My...
and since we invited him here, he felt that he has got a responsibility. He wanted to be a Moses here, he gave us democracy. He is not a political man, but in this guise he has given us the institution for democracy, from where we can rise.
Video examples
Seth Shostak: ET is...
obviously biology, obviously astronomy, but also geology, also chemistry, various scientific disciplines all can be presented in the guise of, "We're looking for E.T." So to me this is interesting and important, and in fact,
Video examples
The Secret Life of...
to make that world come to life and reveal its many surprises narupa paints it in vivid painstaking detail what emerges is a rainforest where plants can take on many different guises they can be parasites they can be
Video examples
Buffalo buffalo buffalo:...
but don't be fooled. Some words are capable of taking on different guises, masquerading as nouns, verbs and adjectives that alter their meanings entirely. This seeming superpower is called lexical ambiguity.
Video examples
A Brief History of How...
successfully lobbied states to preemptively ban plastic bag bans under the guise of protecting the consumer and the grocery stores and so the plastic bag remains as does our plastic
Video examples
We should aim for...
are all advocating against the idea of perfection under this guise that somehow not trying to be perfect will save your self-esteem and protect your ego. But, see, it's not working, because the self-help industry today has a higher recidivism rate because it's more focused on teaching you how to accept being a failure
Video examples
Susan Blackmore: Memes...
the rate of planets, but crucially, intelligence. I think that's the wrong way to think about it. Intelligence appears all over the place, in all kinds of guises. Human intelligence is only one kind of a thing. But what's really important is the replicators you have
Video examples
ET is (probably) out...
also chemistry various scientific disciplines all can be presented in the guise of we're looking for et so to me this is this is interesting and important and in fact it's my policy even though I give a lot of talks to adults you give talks to adults in two
Video examples
Rachel Botsman: The...
How to ensure our digital identities reflect our real world identities? Do we want them to be the same? How do we mimic the way trust is built face-to-face online? How do we stop people who've behaved badly in one community doing so under a different guise?
Video examples
What you need to know...
in which abusers pick up information about you that you don't otherwise want them to know. It is not uncommon for abusers to go to friends and family and ask for information about their victims under the guise of being concerned about their "mental health."
Video examples
Nathaniel Kahn: My...
and since we invited him here, he felt that he has got a responsibility. He wanted to be a Moses here, he gave us democracy. He is not a political man, but in this guise he has given us the institution for democracy, from where we can rise.
Video examples
Seth Shostak: ET is...
obviously biology, obviously astronomy, but also geology, also chemistry, various scientific disciplines all can be presented in the guise of, "We're looking for E.T." So to me this is interesting and important, and in fact,
Video examples
The Secret Life of...
to make that world come to life and reveal its many surprises narupa paints it in vivid painstaking detail what emerges is a rainforest where plants can take on many different guises they can be parasites they can be
Video examples
Buffalo buffalo buffalo:...
but don't be fooled. Some words are capable of taking on different guises, masquerading as nouns, verbs and adjectives that alter their meanings entirely. This seeming superpower is called lexical ambiguity.
Video examples
A Brief History of How...
successfully lobbied states to preemptively ban plastic bag bans under the guise of protecting the consumer and the grocery stores and so the plastic bag remains as does our plastic
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Lindsay Wagner
American Actress
The acting served as an outlet for my emotions for some time because I was doing it under the guise of someone else. And that can only be therapeutic up to a point until you truly deal with it and can express it to someone directly. Acting was a helpful outlet for me as a child. In some ways, I can say it saved my life.
Quote examples
Edgar Wright
English Director
What 'Shaun of the Dead' and 'Hot Fuzz' and 'World's End' do is smuggle a different movie under the guise of a zombie movie or a cop or alien invasion movie. Even though they all have action and carnage, they are really films about growing up and taking responsibility.
Quote examples
Henry Miller
American Author
There is nothing strange about fear: no matter in what guise it presents itself it is something with which we are all so familiar that when a man appears who is without it we are at once enslaved by him.
Quote examples
Terry Pratchett
English Author
There can be no better grounding for a lifetime as an author than to see humanity in all its various guises through the lens of the reporter for the town.
Quote examples
Jenna Wortham
American Journalist
For all the advances in tech that let us try on various guises to play around with who we are, it seems that we just want new ways to be ourselves.
Quote examples
Harry A. Blackmun
American Judge
The states are not free, under the guise of protecting maternal health or potential life, to intimidate women into continuing pregnancies.
Quote examples
George McGovern
American Politician
Under the guise of protecting us from ourselves, the right and the left are becoming ever more aggressive in regulating behavior.
Quote examples
Howard Thurman
American Theologian
During times of war, hatred becomes quite respectable even though it has to masquerade often under the guise of patriotism.
Quote examples
Bat for Lashes
English Musician
We are bits of energy floating about in various guises, and when we die we rejoin the big cosmic soup of the universe.
Quote examples
James Madison
American President
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.
Quote examples
Lindsay Wagner
American Actress
The acting served as an outlet for my emotions for some time because I was doing it under the guise of someone else. And that can only be therapeutic up to a point until you truly deal with it and can express it to someone directly. Acting was a helpful outlet for me as a child. In some ways, I can say it saved my life.
Quote examples
Edgar Wright
English Director
What 'Shaun of the Dead' and 'Hot Fuzz' and 'World's End' do is smuggle a different movie under the guise of a zombie movie or a cop or alien invasion movie. Even though they all have action and carnage, they are really films about growing up and taking responsibility.
Quote examples
Henry Miller
American Author
There is nothing strange about fear: no matter in what guise it presents itself it is something with which we are all so familiar that when a man appears who is without it we are at once enslaved by him.
Quote examples
Terry Pratchett
English Author
There can be no better grounding for a lifetime as an author than to see humanity in all its various guises through the lens of the reporter for the town.
Quote examples
Jenna Wortham
American Journalist
For all the advances in tech that let us try on various guises to play around with who we are, it seems that we just want new ways to be ourselves.
Quote examples
Harry A. Blackmun
American Judge
The states are not free, under the guise of protecting maternal health or potential life, to intimidate women into continuing pregnancies.
Quote examples
George McGovern
American Politician
Under the guise of protecting us from ourselves, the right and the left are becoming ever more aggressive in regulating behavior.
Quote examples
Howard Thurman
American Theologian
During times of war, hatred becomes quite respectable even though it has to masquerade often under the guise of patriotism.
Quote examples
Bat for Lashes
English Musician
We are bits of energy floating about in various guises, and when we die we rejoin the big cosmic soup of the universe.
Quote examples
James Madison
American President
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.
Example 1 of 10
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