masking

mask·ing (mskng)

n.

1. The concealment or the screening of one sensory process or sensation by another.

2. An opaque covering used to camouflage the metal parts of a prosthesis.

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masking,

1 the covering or concealing of a disorder by a second condition. An example is a person's beginning a weight-loss diet while an undiagnosed wasting disease such as cancer has developed. The loss of body weight is attributed to the diet, masking the disease and delaying diagnosis and treatment.

2 the unconscious display of a personality trait that conceals a behavioral aberration.

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masking,

n an opaque covering used to camouflage the metal or other parts of a prosthesis.

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masking

1. using a mask for administering a gaseous anesthetic.

2. covering part of an x-ray film, usually with lead, while the other part is being exposed.

3. see blinding.

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masking down

the use of a mask for inducing general anesthesia, using a gaseous anesthetic, followed by intubation.

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masking

A term describing any process whereby a detectable stimulus is made difficult or impossible to detect by the presentation of a second stimulus (called the mask). The main stimulus (typically called the target) may appear at the same time as the mask (simultaneous masking); or it may precede the mask (backward masking; example: metacontrast); or it may follow the mask (forward masking; example: paracontrast).