hide¹ / hīd/ • v. (past hid / hid/ ; past part. hid·den / ˈhidn/ ) [tr.] put or keep out of sight; conceal from the view or notice of others: he hid the money in the house the sacred relic had been hidden away in a sealed cavern. ∎  (of a thing) prevent (someone or something) from being seen: clouds hid the moon. ∎  keep secret or unknown: Hal could hardly hide his dislike. ∎  [intr.] conceal oneself: Juliet's first instinct was to hide under the blankets he had a little money and could hide out until the end of the month. ∎  [intr.] (hide behind) use (someone or something) to protect oneself from criticism or punishment, esp. in a way considered cowardly or unethical: companies and manufacturers with poor security can hide behind the law.• n. Brit. a camouflaged shelter used to get a close view of wildlife.PHRASES: hide one's head cover up one's face or keep out of sight, esp. from shame.hide one's light under a bushel keep quiet about one's talents or accomplishments.DERIVATIVES: hid·er n.hide² • n. the skin of an animal, esp. when tanned or dressed. ∎  used to refer to a person's ability to withstand criticisms or insults: “I'm sorry I called you a pig.” “My hide's thick enough; it didn't bother me.”PHRASES: hide or hair of someone the slightest sight or trace of someone: I could find neither hide nor hair of him.save someone's hidesee save¹ .tan (or whip) someone's hide beat or flog someone. ∎  punish someone severely.DERIVATIVES: hid·ed adj.hide³ • n. a former measure of land used in England, typically equal to between 60 and 120 acres, being the amount that would support a family and its dependents.