tableau

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: tab=leau

CIDE DICTIONARY

tableau, n. [F., dim. fr. L. tabula a painting. See Table.].

•  A striking and vivid representation; a picture.  [1913 Webster]
•  A representation of some scene by means of persons grouped in the proper manner, placed in appropriate postures, and remaining silent and motionless.  [1913 Webster]
•  The arrangement, or layout, of cards.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

tableau, n. (pl. tableaux)
1 a picturesque presentation.
2 = TABLEAU VIVANT.
3 a dramatic or effective situation suddenly brought about.

Idiom

tableau curtains Theatr. a pair of curtains drawn open by a diagonal cord.

Etymology

F, = picture, dimin. of table: see TABLE

THESAURUS

tableau

Grand Guignol, Passion play, Tom show, abstract, abstraction, act drop, altarpiece, antimasque, arrangement, asbestos, asbestos board, audience success, backdrop, ballet, batten, block print, bomb, border, broadcast drama, burlesque show, charade, cliff hanger, closet drama, cloth, collage, color print, comedy drama, composition, copy, cosmorama, coulisse, counterweight, critical success, curtain, curtain board, cyclorama, daub, daytime serial, decor, dialogue, diorama, diptych, display, documentary drama, drama, dramalogue, dramatic play, dramatic series, drop, drop curtain, duodrama, duologue, effect, engraving, epic theater, exhibit, exhibition, experimental theater, exposition, extravaganza, failure, fire curtain, flat, flipper, flop, fresco, gasser, georama, giveaway, grouping, hanging, happening, hit, hit show, icon, illumination, illustration, image, improvisational drama, legitimate drama, light show, likeness, masque, melodrama, miniature, minstrel show, miracle, miracle play, monodrama, monologue, montage, morality, morality play, mosaic, mural, music drama, musical revue, myriorama, mystery, mystery play, opera, pageant, pageantry, panel show, panorama, pantomime, parade, pastoral, pastoral drama, phantasmagoria, photograph, picture, piece, play, playlet, pomp, presentation, print, problem play, psychedelic show, psychodrama, quiz show, radio drama, rag, representation, reproduction, review, revue, scene, scenery, screen, sensational play, serial, shifting scene, show, side scene, sight, sitcom, situation comedy, sketch, skit, soap, soap opera, sociodrama, spectacle, stage play, stage screw, stage show, stained glass window, stencil, still life, straight drama, success, suspense drama, tab, tableau vivant, talk show, tapestry, teaser, teleplay, television drama, television play, theater of cruelty, tormentor, total theater, transformation, transformation scene, triptych, variety show, vaudeville, vaudeville show, vehicle, wall painting, wing, wingcut, woodcut, word-of-mouth success, work

ROGET THESAURUS

tableau

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.

List

N list, catalog, catalogue, inventory, register, account, bill, bill of costs, terrier, tally, listing, itemization, atlas, book, ledger, catalogue raisonne, tableau, invoice, bill of lading, prospectus, bill of fare, menu, carte, score, census, statistics, returns, contents, table of contents, outline, synopsis, checklist, table, chart, database, index, inverted file, word list, concordance, dictionary, lexicon, vocabulary, glossary, thesaurus, file, card index, card file, rolodex, address book, Red book, Blue book, Domesday book, cadastre, directory, gazetter, almanac, army list, clergy list, civil service list, navy list, Almanach de Gotha, cadaster, Lloyd's register, nautical almanac, who's who, Guiness's Book of World Records, roll, check roll, checker roll, bead roll, muster roll, muster book, roster, panel, jury list, cartulary, diptych, cadastral.

Appearance

N appearance, phenomenon, sight, spectacle, show, premonstration, scene, species, view, coup d'oeil, lookout, outlook, prospect, vista, perspective, bird's-eye view, scenery, landscape, picture, tableau, display, exposure, mise en sc ne, rising of the curtain, phantasm, phantom, pageant, spectacle, peep-show, raree-show, gallanty-show, ombres chinoises, magic lantern, phantasmagoria, dissolving views, biograph, cinematograph, moving pictures, panorama, diorama, cosmorama, georama, coup de theatre, jeu de theatre, pageantry, insignia, aspect, angle, phase, phasis, seeming, shape, guise, look, complexion, color, image, mien, air, cast, carriage, port, demeanor, presence, expression, first blush, face of the thing, point of view, light, lineament feature trait lines, outline, outside, contour, face, countenance, physiognomy, visage, phiz, cast of countenance, profile, tournure, cut of one s jib, metoposcopy, outside, apparent, seeming, ostensible, on view, apparently, to all seeming, to all appearance, ostensibly, seemingly, as it seems, on the face of it, prima facie, at the first blush, at first sight, in the eyes of, to the eye, editio princeps.

Painting

N painting, depicting, drawing, design, perspective, sciagraphy, skiagraphy, chiaroscuro, composition, treatment, historical painting, portrait painting, miniature painting, landscape painting, marine painting, still life, flower painting, scene painting, scenography, school, style, the grand style, high art, genre, portraiture, ornamental art, monochrome, polychrome, grisaille, pallet, palette, easel, brush, pencil, stump, black lead, charcoal, crayons, chalk, pastel, paint, watercolor, body color, oil color, oils, oil paint, varnish, priming, gouache, tempera, distemper, fresco, water glass, enamel, encaustic painting, mosaic, tapestry, photography, heliography, color photography, sun painting, graphics, computer graphics, picture, painting, piece, tableau, canvas, oil painting, fresco, cartoon, easel picture, cabinet picture, draught, draft, pencil drawing, water color drawing, etching, charcoal, pen-and-ink, sketch, outline, study, photograph, color photograph, black-and-white photograph, holograph, heliograph, daguerreotype, talbotype, calotype, heliotype, negative, positive, print, glossy print, matte print, enlargement, reduction, life-size print, instant photo, Polaroid photo, technicolor, Kodachrome, Ektachrome, Polaroid, portrait, whole length, full length, half length, kitcat, head, miniature, shade, silhouette, profile, landscape, seapiece, view, scene, prospect, panorama, diorama, still life, picture gallery, exhibit, studio, atelier, pinacotheca, painted, pictorial, graphic, picturesque, pencil, oil, in pencil, fecit, delineavit, mutum est pictura poema.