charade

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: cha=rade

CIDE DICTIONARY

charade, n. [F. charade, cf. Pr. charrada long chat, It ciarlare to chat, whence E. charlatan.].

 A verbal or acted enigma based upon a word which has two or more significant syllables or parts, each of which, as well as the word itself, is to be guessed from the descriptions or representations.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

charade, n.
1 a (usu. in pl., treated as sing.) a game of guessing a word from a written or acted clue given for each syllable and for the whole. b one such clue.
2 an absurd pretence.

Etymology

F f. mod.Prov. charrado conversation f. charra chatter

THESAURUS

charade

Grand Guignol, Passion play, Tom show, absurdity, anagram, antimasque, audience success, ballet, bearing, beck, beckon, body language, bomb, broadcast drama, burlesque show, carriage, chironomy, cliff hanger, closet drama, comedy drama, conundrum, critical success, dactylology, daytime serial, deaf-and-dumb alphabet, dialogue, disguise, documentary drama, drama, dramalogue, dramatic play, dramatic series, dumb show, duodrama, duologue, epic theater, experimental theater, extravaganza, failure, farce, flop, gasser, gesticulation, gesture, gesture language, giveaway, hand signal, happening, hit, hit show, improvisational drama, kinesics, legitimate drama, logogriph, make-believe, masque, melodrama, minstrel show, miracle, miracle play, mockery, monodrama, monologue, morality, morality play, motion, movement, music drama, musical revue, mystery, mystery play, opera, pageant, panel show, pantomime, parody, pastoral, pastoral drama, piece, play, playlet, poise, pose, posture, pretension, pretentiousness, problem play, psychodrama, quiz show, radio drama, rebus, review, revue, riddle, sensational play, serial, show, shrug, sign language, sitcom, situation comedy, sketch, skit, soap, soap opera, sociodrama, spectacle, stage play, stage show, stance, straight drama, success, suspense drama, tableau, tableau vivant, talk show, teleplay, television drama, television play, theater of cruelty, total theater, travesty, variety show, vaudeville, vaudeville show, vehicle, word-of-mouth success, work

ROGET THESAURUS

charade

The Drama

N the drama, the stage, the theater, the play, film the film, movies, motion pictures, cinema, cinematography, theatricals, dramaturgy, histrionic art, buskin, sock, cothurnus, Melpomene and Thalia, Thespis, play, drama, stage play, piece, five-act play, tragedy, comedy, opera, vaudeville, comedietta, lever de rideau, interlude, afterpiece, exode, farce, divertissement, extravaganza, burletta, harlequinade, pantomime, burlesque, opera bouffe, ballet, spectacle, masque, drame comedie drame, melodrama, melodrame, comidie larmoyante, sensation drama, tragicomedy, farcical-comedy, monodrame monologue, duologue trilogy, charade, proverbs, mystery, miracle play, musical, musical comedy, western, horse opera, flick, spy film, love story, adventure film, documentary, nature film, pornographic film, smoker, skin flick, X-rated film, act, scene, tableau, induction, introduction, prologue, epilogue, libretto, performance, representation, mise en scene, stagery, jeu de theatre, acting, gesture, impersonation, stage business, gag, buffoonery, light comedy, genteel comedy, low comedy, theater, playhouse, opera house, house, music hall, amphitheater, circus, hippodrome, theater in the round, puppet show, fantoccini, marionettes, Punch and Judy, auditory, auditorium, front of the house, stalls, boxes, pit, gallery, parquet, greenroom, coulisses, flat, drop, drop scene, wing, screen, side scene, transformation scene, curtain, act drop, proscenium, stage, scene, scenery, the boards, trap, mezzanine floor, flies, floats, footlights, offstage, orchestra, theatrical costume, theatrical properties, movie studio, back lot, on location, part, role, character, dramatis personae, repertoire, actor, thespian, player, method actor, stage player, strolling player, stager, performer, mime, mimer, artists, comedian, tragedian, tragedienne, Roscius, star, movie star, star of stage and screen, superstar, idol, sex symbol, supporting actor, supporting cast, ham, hamfatter, masker, pantomimist, clown harlequin, buffo, buffoon, farceur, grimacer, pantaloon, columbine, punchinello, pulcinello, pulcinella, extra, bit- player, walk-on role, cameo appearance, mute, figurante, general utility, super, supernumerary, company, first tragedian, prima donna, protagonist, jeune premier, debutant, debutante, light comedian, genteel comedian, low comedian, walking gentleman, amoroso, heavy father, ingenue, jeune veuve, mummer, guiser, guisard, gysart, masque, mountebank, Jack Pudding, tumbler, posture master, acrobat, contortionist, ballet dancer, ballet girl, chorus singer, coryphee danseuse, property man, costumier, machinist, prompter, call boy, manager, director, stage manager, acting manager, producer, entrepreneur, impresario, backer, investor, angel, dramatic author, dramatic writer, play writer, playwright, dramatist, mimographer, dramatic, theatric, theatrical, scenic, histrionic, comic, tragic, buskined, farcical, tragicomic, melodramatic, operatic, stagy, on the stage, on the boards, on film, before the floats, before an audience, behind the scenes, fere totus mundus exercet histrionem, suit the action to the word, the word to the action, the play's the thing, to wake the soul by tender strokes of art.

Secret

N secret, dead secret, profound secret, arcanum, mystery, latency, Asian mystery, sealed book, secrets of the prison house, le desous des cartes, enigma, riddle, puzzle, nut to crack, conundrum, charade, rebus, logogriph, monogram, anagram, Sphinx, crux criticorum, maze, labyrinth, Hyrcynian wood, intricacy, meander, problem, paradox, unintelligibility, terra incognita, secret, involved, labyrinthine, labyrinthian, mazy, confidential, top secret.