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Alter vs Disguise - What's the difference?

alter | disguise |

As an adjective alter

is .

As a noun disguise is

attire (eg clothing, makeup) used to hide one's identity or assume another.

As a verb disguise is

to change the appearance of (a person or thing) so as to hide, or to assume an identity.

alter

English

Alternative forms

* altre (obsolete)

Verb

(en verb)
  • To change the form or structure of.
  • * Bible, Psalms lxxxix. 34
  • My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
  • * Shakespeare
  • No power in Venice can alter a decree.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • It gilds all objects, but it alters none.
  • To become different.
  • To tailor clothes to make them fit.
  • To castrate, neuter or spay (a dog or other animal).
  • (obsolete) To agitate; to affect mentally.
  • (Milton)

    Derived terms

    * alterer * alterability * alterative * alterable * alterably

    Anagrams

    * * * * * ----

    disguise

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Attire (e.g. clothing, makeup) used to hide one's identity or assume another.
  • ''That cape and mask complete his disguise .
  • (figuratively) The appearance of something on the outside which masks what's beneath.
  • The act of disguising, notably as a ploy
  • ''Any disguise may expose soldiers to be deemed enemy spies.

    Synonyms

    * camouflage * guise * mask * pretense

    Verb

  • To change the appearance of (a person or thing) so as to hide, or to assume an identity.
  • Spies often disguise themselves.
  • * Macaulay
  • Bunyan was forced to disguise himself as a wagoner.
  • To avoid giving away or revealing (something secret); to hide by a false appearance.
  • He disguised his true intentions.
  • (archaic) To affect or change by liquor; to intoxicate.
  • * Spectator
  • I have just left the right worshipful, and his myrmidons, about a sneaker or five gallons; the whole magistracy was pretty well disguised before I gave them the ship.

    Synonyms

    * cloak * mask * hide

    Derived terms

    * disguisedly * disguisement * disguiser