<p><strong>noun</strong></p><ul><li>A hooded garment worn by monks.</li><li>The hood of this garment.</li><li>Part of a garment that is draped to resemble a cowl or hood.</li><li>The forward part of the body of a motor vehicle supporting the rear of the hood and the windshield and housing the pedals and instrument panel.</li><li>A cowling.</li><li>A hoodlike covering for increasing the draft of a chimney or ventilator.</li><li>A wire netting fastened to the top of the smokestack of a locomotive to prevent large sparks from being discharged; a spark arrester.</li></ul><p><strong>verb</strong></p><ul><li>(used with object) To cover with or as if with a cowl.</li><li>To put a monk's cowl on.</li><li>To make a monk of.</li></ul>