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COWL (through Fr. coule, from Lat. cu...

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Originally appearing in Volume V07, Page 347 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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COWL (through Fr. coule, from See also:Lat. cucullus or cuculla, a covering; the word is found in various forms in most See also:European See also:languages, cf. Ger. Kugel or Kigel, Dutch kovel, Irish cochal or cochull ; the ultimate origin may be the See also:root kal, found in Lat. clam,  secretly, and Gr . KaXinreiv, to hide, See also:cover up), an See also:outer garment worn by both sexes in the See also:middle ages; a See also:part of the monastic See also:dress, hence the phrase " to take the See also:cowl," signifying entry upon the religious See also:life . The cucullus worn by the See also:early See also:Egyptian anchorites was a See also:hood covering the See also:head and See also:neck . Later generations lengthened the garment until it reached to the heels, and St See also:Benedict issued a See also:rule restricting its length to two cubits . See also:Chapter 55 of his See also:Institute prescribes the following dress in temperate climates: a cowl and See also:tunic, thick in See also:winter and thin in summer, with a scapular for working See also:hours and shoes and stockings, all of See also:simple material and make . In the 14th See also:century the cowl and the See also:frock were frequently confounded, but the See also:council of See also:Vienne defined the former as " a See also:habit See also:long and full without sleeves," and the latter as " a long habit with long and wide sleeves." While the See also:term thus seems strictly to imply a hooded See also:gown it is often applied to the hood alone . It is also used to describe a loose vestment worn over the frock in the winter See also:season and during the See also:night See also:office . The word " cowl " is also applied to a hood-shaped covering to a See also:chimney or ventilating See also:shaft, to help down-See also:draught, and to clear the up-current of foul See also:air (see See also:VENTILATION) .

End of Article: COWL (through Fr. coule, from Lat. cucullus or cuculla, a covering; the word is found in various forms in most European languages, cf. Ger. Kugel or Kigel, Dutch kovel, Irish cochal or cochull ; the ultimate origin may be the root kal, found in Lat. clam,
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