alibi apology apply to awning bamboo curtain barrier of secrecy beach umbrella becloud befog blackout blanket blind block bosom camouflage canopy censorship classify cloak clothe cloud coat color coloring conceal cope cover cover story cover up cover-up coverage covering covert coverture cowl cowling curtain device disguise dissemble distract attention from drape drapery draw the curtains eclipse enclose ensconce enshroud envelop enwrap excuse facade false front feint file and forget film front gloss gloss over guise handle hanging hide hold out on hood housing hush-up in petto invest iron curtain ironbound security keep keep back keep between us keep buttoned up keep close keep dark keep from keep in ignorance keep mum keep secret keep snug keep under cover keep under wraps lame excuse lay on lay over light shield locus standi make no sign mantilla mantle mask muffle never let on not give away not tell oath of secrecy obduce obfuscate obscure occult official secrecy ostensible motive overlay overshadow overspread pall parasol play dumb poor excuse pretense pretension pretext protestation public motive put on put-off refuge repression screen scum seal of secrecy secrete security semblance shade shader shadow sham shelter shield show shroud shutter slur over smoke screen smothering spread over stalking-horse stifling stratagem subterfuge sunblind sunshade superimpose superpose suppression trick umbrella varnish veil of secrecy veiler veiling vestment whitewash withhold wrap wraps yashmak