SCREEN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does screen mean? 

• SCREEN (noun)
  The noun SCREEN has 8 senses:

1. a white or silvered surface where pictures can be projected for viewing

2. a protective covering that keeps things out or hinders sight

3. the display that is electronically created on the surface of the large end of a cathode-ray tube

4. a covering that serves to conceal or shelter something

5. a protective covering consisting of netting; can be mounted in a frame

6. the personnel of the film industry

7. a strainer for separating lumps from powdered material or grading particles

8. partition consisting of a decorative frame or panel that serves to divide a space

  Familiarity information: SCREEN used as a noun is common.

• SCREEN (verb)
  The verb SCREEN has 7 senses:

1. test or examine for the presence of disease or infection

2. examine methodically

3. examine in order to test suitability

4. project onto a screen for viewing

5. prevent from entering

6. separate with a riddle, as grain from chaff

7. protect, hide, or conceal from danger or harm

  Familiarity information: SCREEN used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SCREEN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A white or silvered surface where pictures can be projected for viewing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

projection screen; screen; silver screen

Hypernyms ("screen" is a kind of...):

surface (the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "screen"):

wide screen (a projection screen that is much wider than it is high)

Derivation:

screen (project onto a screen for viewing)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A protective covering that keeps things out or hinders sight

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

blind; screen

Context example:

they had just moved in and had not put up blinds yet

Hypernyms ("screen" is a kind of...):

protection; protective cover; protective covering (a covering that is intend to protect from damage or injury)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "screen"):

shutter (a hinged blind for a window)

window blind (a blind for privacy or to keep out light)

blinder; blinker; winker (blind consisting of a leather eyepatch sewn to the side of the halter that prevents a horse from seeing something on either side)

curtain; drape; drapery; mantle; pall (hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window))

Derivation:

screen (prevent from entering)

screen (protect, hide, or conceal from danger or harm)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The display that is electronically created on the surface of the large end of a cathode-ray tube

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

CRT screen; screen

Hypernyms ("screen" is a kind of...):

display; video display (an electronic device that represents information in visual form)

Meronyms (parts of "screen"):

foreground ((computer science) a window for an active application)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "screen"):

background; desktop; screen background ((computer science) the area of the screen in graphical user interfaces against which icons and windows appear)

computer display; computer screen (a screen used to display the output of a computer to the user)

Holonyms ("screen" is a part of...):

cathode-ray tube; CRT (a vacuum tube in which a hot cathode emits a beam of electrons that pass through a high voltage anode and are focused or deflected before hitting a phosphorescent screen)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A covering that serves to conceal or shelter something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

concealment; cover; covert; screen

Context example:

the simplest concealment is to match perfectly the color of the background

Hypernyms ("screen" is a kind of...):

covering (an artifact that covers something else (usually to protect or shelter or conceal it))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "screen"):

shoji (a translucent screen made of a wooden frame covered with rice paper)

stalking-horse (screen consisting of a figure of a horse behind which a hunter hides while stalking game)

camouflage (device or stratagem for concealment or deceit)

blind (a hiding place sometimes used by hunters (especially duck hunters))

Sense 5

Meaning:

A protective covering consisting of netting; can be mounted in a frame

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Context example:

a metal screen protected the observers

Hypernyms ("screen" is a kind of...):

protection; protective cover; protective covering (a covering that is intend to protect from damage or injury)

Meronyms (substance of "screen"):

screening (fabric of metal or plastic mesh)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "screen"):

fire screen; fireguard (a metal screen before an open fire for protection (especially against flying sparks))

mosquito net (a fine net or screen (especially around beds) to protect against mosquitos)

smoke screen; smokescreen ((military) screen consisting of a cloud of smoke that obscures movements)

window screen (screen to keep insects from entering a building through the open window)

windscreen; windshield (transparent screen (as of glass) to protect occupants of a vehicle)

Holonyms ("screen" is a part of...):

screen door (a door that consists of a frame holding metallic or plastic netting; used to allow ventilation and to keep insects from entering a building through the open door)

Derivation:

screen (protect, hide, or conceal from danger or harm)

Sense 6

Meaning:

The personnel of the film industry

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

filmdom; screen; screenland

Context example:

a star of stage and screen

Hypernyms ("screen" is a kind of...):

film industry; movie industry (the entertainment industries involved in producing and distributing movies)

Sense 7

Meaning:

A strainer for separating lumps from powdered material or grading particles

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

screen; sieve

Hypernyms ("screen" is a kind of...):

strainer (a filter to retain larger pieces while smaller pieces and liquids pass through)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "screen"):

riddle (a coarse sieve (as for gravel))

sifter (a household sieve (as for flour))

Derivation:

screen (separate with a riddle, as grain from chaff)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Partition consisting of a decorative frame or panel that serves to divide a space

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("screen" is a kind of...):

divider; partition (a vertical structure that divides or separates (as a wall divides one room from another))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "screen"):

altarpiece; reredos (a painted or carved screen placed above and behind an altar or communion table)

purdah (a screen used in India to separate women from men or strangers)

rood screen (a screen in a church; separates the nave from the choir or chancel)

Derivation:

screen (protect, hide, or conceal from danger or harm)

• SCREEN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they screen    ... he / she / it screens   
Past simple: screened   
Past participle: screened   
-ing form: screening   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Test or examine for the presence of disease or infection

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

screen; test

Context example:

screen the blood for the HIV virus

Hypernyms (to "screen" is one way to...):

check (make an examination or investigation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 2

Meaning:

Examine methodically

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

screen the suitcases

Hypernyms (to "screen" is one way to...):

analyse; analyze; canvass; examine; study (consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning)

"Screen" entails doing...:

do away with; eliminate; extinguish; get rid of (terminate, end, or take out)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

screener (a guard at an airport who checks passengers or their luggage at a security checkpoint)

screening (testing objects or persons in order to identify those with particular characteristics)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Examine in order to test suitability

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

screen; screen out; sieve; sort

Context example:

screen the job applicants

Hypernyms (to "screen" is one way to...):

choose; pick out; select; take (pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

screener (a guard at an airport who checks passengers or their luggage at a security checkpoint)

screening (testing objects or persons in order to identify those with particular characteristics)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Project onto a screen for viewing

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Context example:

screen a film

Hypernyms (to "screen" is one way to...):

show (make visible or noticeable)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue screen the movie

Derivation:

screen (a white or silvered surface where pictures can be projected for viewing)

screening (the display of a motion picture)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Prevent from entering

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

block out; screen

Context example:

block out the strong sunlight

Hypernyms (to "screen" is one way to...):

block; close up; impede; jam; obstruct; obturate; occlude (block passage through)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "screen"):

shade (protect from light, heat, or view)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

screen (a protective covering that keeps things out or hinders sight)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Separate with a riddle, as grain from chaff

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

riddle; screen

Hypernyms (to "screen" is one way to...):

sieve; sift; strain (separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

screen (a strainer for separating lumps from powdered material or grading particles)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Protect, hide, or conceal from danger or harm

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

screen; shield

Hypernyms (to "screen" is one way to...):

protect (shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

screen (a protective covering consisting of netting; can be mounted in a frame)

screening (the act of concealing the existence of something by obstructing the view of it)

screen (partition consisting of a decorative frame or panel that serves to divide a space)

screen (a protective covering that keeps things out or hinders sight)

 Context examples 

Last year another US study found children who spent the most time on screens had around a five per cent lower cognitive function than other eight to 11-year-olds.

(Too Much Screen Time Changes Structure of Toddlers' Brains, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

A topical form of 4-hydroxytamoxifen is being studied in breast cancer screening.

(Afimoxifene, NCI Dictionary)

A sample of blood collected from a newborn child that is utilized to screen for both disorders present at birth and subsequent disease development.

(Archived Newborn Blood Sample, NCI Thesaurus)

Test codes of questionnaire questions associated with the Michigan neuropathy screening instrument (MNSI) for the Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC) Standard Data Tabulation Model (SDTM).

(CDISC Questionnaire MNSI Test Code Terminology, NCI Thesaurus)

Includes NCI information about cancer treatment, screening, prevention, and supportive care.

(CancerFax, NCI Thesaurus)

"I stood behind the screen and pulled a thread, to make the eyes move and the mouth open."

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

“This finding suggests that interventions to reduce screen time could have a better chance of success if introduced early.”

(High amounts of screen time begin as early as infancy, National Institutes of Health)

The screening studies also provided important clues to the ways the drugs were working.

(Scientists find promising drug combination against lethal childhood brain cancers, National Institutes of Health)

Test names of questionnaire questions associated with the Michigan neuropathy screening instrument (MNSI) for the Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC) Standard Data Tabulation Model (SDTM).

(CDISC Questionnaire MNSI Test Name Terminology, NCI Thesaurus)

Screening for chromosomal breakage and rearrangement is used as a diagnostic tool in Fanconi anemia.

(Chromosomal Instability, NCI Thesaurus)