Cloak

A cloak is a voluminous outer garment, without sleeves or armholes, similar in style to a cape. It is now very rarely seen, although sticklers for tradition may wear an 'opera cloak' to first night performances of theatre or opera. The term cloak survives, however, as a metaphor for something that serves to obscure. Thus a thief might operate 'under the cloak of darkness', or a Democratic Presidential candidate's true intentions be hidden 'by a cloak of lies'.