vail          
verb [ I or T ]  old use uk/veɪl/ us/veɪl/
 脱下(帽子等)(表示敬意)
to take off your hat or other head covering as a mark of respect to someone
  Crowned heads vailed before the statue of Beethoven, doing homage to the royalty of genius. 在贝多芬的雕像前人们纷纷脱帽,向这位天才中的天才表示敬意。 
  (在某人去世时)降下旗帜至地面(表示敬意)
to let a flag touch the ground, as a mark of respect, for example when someone has died
  When the flag is vailed on Remembrance Sunday, it is not considered as a desecration. 在阵亡将士纪念日降下国旗,垂至地面,并不是一种亵渎行为。