1. (n.) An obstruction of the light of the sun, moon, or other luminous body\, by the intervention of some other body, either between it and the eye, or between the luminous body and that illuminated by it. A lunar eclipse is caused by the moon passing through the earth's shadow; a solar eclipse, by the moon coming between the sun and the observer. A satellite is eclipsed by entering the shadow of its primary. The obscuration of a planet or star by the moon or a planet, though of the nature of an eclipse, is called an occultation. The eclipse of a small portion of the sun by Mercury or Venus is called a transit of the planet.

2. (n.) The loss, usually temporary or partial, of light, brilliancy, luster, honor, consciousness, etc.; obscuration; gloom; darkness.

3. (v. t.) To cause the obscuration of; to darken or hide; -- said of a heavenly body; as, the moon eclipses the sun.

4. (v. t.) To obscure, darken, or extinguish the beauty, luster, honor, etc., of; to sully; to cloud; to throw into the shade by surpassing.

5. (v. i.) To suffer an eclipse.

adumbrate annular eclipse apply to bandage becloud bedarken bedazzle bedim befog begloom benight black black out blacken blackout blanket blanketing blind blind the eyes blindfold block block the light blockage blocking blot out blotting out brown camouflage canopy cast a shadow cementwork central eclipse cloak cloaking clothe cloud cloud over clouding coating conceal concealment cope cover cover up coverage covering cowl curtain curtaining darken darken over darkening daze dazzle decline dematerialization departure deprive of sight dim dim out dimming disappearance disappearing disguise dispersion dissemble dissipation dissolution dissolving distract attention from downturn eclipsing elimination encloud encompass with shadow ensconce enshroud envelop envelopment enwrapment enwrapping erasure evanescence evaporation excecate extinction extinguish fadeaway fadeout fading fake out film glare gloom gloss over going gouge hide hiding hood hoodwink incrustation keep under cover lay on lay over laying on lunar eclipse make blind mantle mantling mask masking melting muffle murk obduce obduction obfuscate obnubilate obscuration obscure obscuring obumbrate occult occultate occultation outshine overcast overcloud overlay overlaying overshadow overspread overspreading pargeting partial eclipse passing plasterwork put down put on put to shame recession screen screening scum shade shading shadow sheathing shield shielding show up shroud shrouding slump slur over snow-blind solar eclipse somber spread over strike blind stuccowork superimpose superimposition superpose superposition surpass top total eclipse upholstering upholstery vanishing vanishing point varnish veil veiling whitewash wipe wrapping