Adjacent Words

Pantomime definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PAN'TOMIME, n. [L. pantomimus; Gr. all, and a mimic.]
1. One that imitates all sorts of actions and characters without speaking; one that expresses his meaning by mute action. The pantomimes of antiquity used to express in gestures and action, whatever the chorus sung, changing their countenance and behavior as the subject of the song varied.
2. A scene or representation in dumb show.
3. A species of musical entertainment.
PAN'TOMIME, a. Representing only in mute action.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a performance using gestures and body movements without words [syn: mime, pantomime, dumb show] v
1: act out without words but with gestures and bodily movements only; "The acting students mimed eating an apple" [syn: mime, pantomime]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Latin pantomimus, from pant- + mimus mime Date: 1589 1. pantomimist 2. a. an ancient Roman dramatic performance featuring a solo dancer and a narrative chorus b. any of various dramatic or dancing performances in which a story is told by expressive bodily or facial movements of the performers c. a British theatrical entertainment of the Christmas season based on a nursery tale and featuring topical songs, tableaux, and dances 3. a. conveyance of a story by bodily or facial movements especially in drama or dance b. the art or genre of conveying a story by bodily movements only • pantomimic adjective II. verb (-mimed; -miming) Date: 1768 intransitive verb to engage in pantomime transitive verb to represent by pantomime

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 Brit. a theatrical entertainment based on a fairy tale, with music, topical jokes, etc., usu. produced about Christmas. 2 the use of gestures and facial expression to convey meaning, esp. in drama and dance. 3 colloq. an absurd or outrageous piece of behaviour. Derivatives: pantomimic adj. Etymology: F pantomime or L pantomimus f. Gk pantomimos (as PANTO-, MIME)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pantomime Pan"to*mime, n. [F., fr. L. pantomimus, Gr. ?, lit., all-imitating; ?, ?, all + ? to imitate: cf. It. pantomimo. See Mimic.] 1. A universal mimic; an actor who assumes many parts; also, any actor. [Obs.] 2. One who acts his part by gesticulation or dumb show only, without speaking; a pantomimist. [He] saw a pantomime perform so well that he could follow the performance from the action alone. --Tylor. 3. A dramatic representation by actors who use only dumb show; hence, dumb show, generally. 4. A dramatic and spectacular entertainment of which dumb acting as well as burlesque dialogue, music, and dancing by Clown, Harlequin, etc., are features.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pantomime Pan"to*mime, a. Representing only in mute actions; pantomimic; as, a pantomime dance.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(pantomimes) 1. A pantomime is a funny musical play for children. Pantomimes are usually based on fairy stories and are performed at Christmas. (BRIT) N-COUNT 2. If you say that a situation or a person's behaviour is a pantomime, you mean that it is silly or exaggerated and that there is something false about it. (mainly BRIT) They were made welcome with the usual pantomime of exaggerated smiles and gestures... = farce N-SING

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Dumb show, mute action.

Moby Thesaurus

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