Refers to the entire overgarment of a monk or nun, often pleated and very long so that it trails a bit Monks' cowls have a hood which can veil the head or rest over the shoulders, as appropriate
The portion of a car's body between the engine compartment and the driver which ordinarily houses the instruments and the plenum chamber for the heater-ventilation system
a loose hood or hooded robe (as worn by a monk) cover with or as with a cowl; "cowl the boys and veil the girls
deep hood worn by the Seer of Conners' Hall and also by Leonard in her guise of The Hooded One A cowl shadows the face of its wearer
protective covering consisting of a metal part that covers the engine; "there are powerful engines under the hoods of new cars"; "the mechanic removed the cowling in order to repair the plane's engine"