Dumb show

Dumb show
Dumb Dumb, a. [AS. dumb; akin to D. dom stupid, dumb, Sw. dumb, Goth. dumbs; cf. Gr. ? blind. See {Deaf}, and cf. {Dummy}.] 1. Destitute of the power of speech; unable; to utter articulate sounds; as, the dumb brutes. [1913 Webster]

To unloose the very tongues even of dumb creatures. --Hooker. [1913 Webster]

2. Not willing to speak; mute; silent; not speaking; not accompanied by words; as, dumb show. [1913 Webster]

This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

To pierce into the dumb past. -- J. C. Shairp. [1913 Webster]

3. Lacking brightness or clearness, as a color. [R.] [1913 Webster]

Her stern was painted of a dumb white or dun color. --De Foe. [1913 Webster]

{Deaf and dumb}. See {Deaf-mute}.

{Dumb ague}, or {Dumb chill}, a form of intermittent fever which has no well-defined ``chill.'' [U.S.]

{Dumb animal}, any animal except man; -- usually restricted to a domestic quadruped; -- so called in contradistinction to man, who is a ``speaking animal.''

{Dumb cake}, a cake made in silence by girls on St. Mark's eve, with certain mystic ceremonies, to discover their future husbands. --Halliwell.

{Dumb cane} (Bot.), a west Indian plant of the Arum family ({Dieffenbachia seguina}), which, when chewed, causes the tongue to swell, and destroys temporarily the power of speech.

{Dumb crambo}. See under {crambo}.

{Dumb show}. (a) Formerly, a part of a dramatic representation, shown in pantomime. ``Inexplicable dumb shows and noise.'' --Shak. (b) Signs and gestures without words; as, to tell a story in dumb show.

{To strike dumb}, to confound; to astonish; to render silent by astonishment; or, it may be, to deprive of the power of speech.

Syn: Silent; speechless; noiseless. See {Mute}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • dumb-show — dumb show, 1. gestures without words; pantomime: »He indicated by dumb show that he wanted to speak to me privately. 2. (in Elizabethan drama) a part of a play represented in pantomime. dumb show «DUHM SHOH», adjective. done in dumb show; that… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Dumb Show — [ dʌm ʃou] die; , s, auch Dumb|show die; , s <aus gleichbed. engl. dumb show, eigtl. »stumme Schau«> ↑Pantomine im älteren engl. Drama, die vor der Aufführung die Handlung verdeutlichen sollte …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • dumb show — dumb′ show n. 1) sbz a part of a dramatic representation given in pantomime, common in early English drama 2) gestures without speech • Etymology: 1555–65 dumb′ show , adj …   From formal English to slang

  • Dumb show — (engl., spr. dömm scho, »stummes Spiel«), Bezeichnung für Pantomime und jede Art Mummenschanz …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Dumb-Show — (engl., spr. dömm schoh), eine Art Pantomime im alten engl. Drama, die den Inhalt eines Stücks oder Akts im voraus darstellt …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • dumb show — dumb show, adj. 1. a part of a dramatic representation given in pantomime, common in early English drama. 2. gestures without speech. [1555 65] * * * …   Universalium

  • dumb show — n [U and C] the use of movements without words to express something →↑mime …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • dumb show — n. 1. Historical a part of a play done in pantomime 2. gestures without speech …   English World dictionary

  • Dumb Show — Not to be confused with Dumbshow. Dumb Show is a play by Joe Penhall. The three character play, directed by Terry Johnson, premiered at the Royal Court Theatre London, September 4, 2004. It received its American premiere at South Coast Repertory… …   Wikipedia

  • dumb show — Synonyms and related words: acting, aping, bearing, beck, beckon, body language, carriage, characterization, charade, chironomy, dactylology, deaf and dumb alphabet, embodiment, enacting, enactment, gesticulation, gesture, gesture language, hand… …   Moby Thesaurus

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