n. [ OE. mantel, OF. mantel, F. manteau, fr. L. mantellum, mantelum, a cloth, napkin, cloak, mantle (cf. mantele, mantile, towel, napkin); prob. from manus hand + the root of tela cloth. See Manual, Textile, and cf. Mandil, Mantel, Mantilla. ] [ 1913 Webster ] 1. A loose garment to be worn over other garments; an enveloping robe; a cloak. Hence, figuratively, a covering or concealing envelope. [ 1913 Webster ] [ The ] children are clothed with mantles of satin. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ] The green mantle of the standing pool. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] Now Nature hangs her mantle green
On every blooming tree. Burns. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. (Her.) Same as Mantling. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. (Zool.) (a) The external fold, or folds, of the soft, exterior membrane of the body of a mollusk. It usually forms a cavity inclosing the gills. See Illusts. of Buccinum, and Byssus. (b) Any free, outer membrane. (c) The back of a bird together with the folded wings. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. (Arch.) A mantel. See Mantel. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. The outer wall and casing of a blast furnace, above the hearth. Raymond. [ 1913 Webster ] 6. (Hydraulic Engin.) A penstock for a water wheel. [ 1913 Webster ] 7. (Geol.) The highly viscous shell of hot semisolid rock, about 1800 miles thick, lying under the crust of the Earth and above the core. Also, by analogy, a similar shell on any other planet. [ PJC ] | 
