rebus

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: re=bus

CIDE DICTIONARY

rebus, n. [L. rebus by things, abl. pl. of res a thing: cf. F. rébus. Cf. 3d Real.].

•  A mode of expressing words and phrases by pictures of objects whose names resemble those words, or the syllables of which they are composed; enigmatical representation of words by figures; hence, a peculiar form of riddle made up of such representations.  [1913 Webster]

  " A gallant, in love with a woman named Rose Hill, had, embroidered on his gown, a rose, a hill, an eye, a loaf, and a well, signifying, Rose Hill I love well."  [1913 Webster]
•  A pictorial suggestion on a coat of arms of the name of the person to whom it belongs. See Canting arms, under Canting.  [1913 Webster]

rebus, v. t. 

 To mark or indicate by a rebus.  [1913 Webster]
"He [John Morton] had a fair library rebused with More in text and Tun under it."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

rebus, n.
1 an enigmatic representation of a word (esp. a name), by pictures etc. suggesting its parts.
2 Heraldry a device suggesting the name of its bearer.

Etymology

F r{eacute}bus f. L rebus, ablat. pl. of res thing

ROGET THESAURUS

rebus

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.