coif

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A coiffure.
2. n. A tight-fitting cap worn under a veil, as by nuns.
3. n. A white skullcap formerly worn by English lawyers.
4. n. A heavy skullcap of steel or leather, formerly worn under a helmet or mail hood.
5. v. To arrange or dress (the hair).
6. v. To cover with or as if with a coif.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A cap fitting close to the head, and conforming to its shape. The name is especially given to the following head-coverings worn during the middle ages: A cap resembling a modern night-cap, tied under the chin, and represented as worn by both sexes both in and out of doors, in the chase and other active occupations, as early as the twelfth century.
2. n. A cap like the calotte or skull-cap, usually of lawn, retained until the common introduction of the wig, especially as the head-dress of barristers.
3. n. A skull-cap of leather or of stuff, apparently wadded, made of many thicknesses, or provided with a thickened rim or edge (see bourrelet), worn under the camail to prevent the links of the chain-mail from wounding the head when struck, or to prevent the heavy steel headpiece from pressing too heavily upon the head.
4. n. Figuratively, the calling or rank of a barrister: as, a brother of the coif.
5. n. In armor: A cap of chain-mail or of bezanted or scale armor, usually distinct from the camail, and worn over it as an additional defense, or to cover the top of the head when the camail reached only about to the ears. Also called coif of mail, cap of mail, mail coif, and coiffe-de-mailles.
6. n. The camail itself.
7. n. A skull-cap of steel, worn over the camail, or perhaps in some cases worn under the camail, or mail coif. Also called coif of plate, coiffe-de-fer, cervelière, and secret.
8. n. A light cap of lace, worn by women at the present day.
9. To cover or dress with or as with a coif.

Wiktionary

1. n. A hairdo
2. n. A hood; a close-fitting cap covering much of the head, widespread until XVIII century; after that worn only by small children and countrywomen
3. n. A chain mail head gear
4. v. transitive To style or arrange hair.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A cap.
2. n. A close-fitting cap covering the sides of the head, like a small hood without a cape.
3. n. An official headdress, such as that worn by certain judges in England.
4. n. a coiffure.
5. v. To cover or dress with, or as with, a coif.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a skullcap worn by nuns under a veil or by soldiers under a hood of mail or formerly by British sergeants-at-law
2. v. arrange attractively
3. n. the arrangement of the hair (especially a woman's hair)
4. v. cover with a coif