Antonyms for charade

Grammar : Noun

Spell : shuh-reyd; especially British shuh-rahd

Phonetic Transcription : ʃəˈreɪd; especially British ʃəˈrɑd

Definition of charade

Origin : 1776, from French charade (18c.), probably from Provençal charrado "long talk, chatter," of obscure origin, perhaps from charrar "to chatter, gossip," of echoic origin. Cf. Italian ciarlare, Spanish charlar "to talk, prattle." Originally not silent, but relying rather on enigmatic descriptions of the words or syllables.
As we have ever made it a Rule to shew our Attention to the Reader, by 'catching the Manners living, as they rise,' as Mr. Pope expresses it, we think ourselves obliged to give Place to the following Specimens of a new Kind of SMALL WIT, which, for some Weeks past, has been the Subject of Conversation in almost every Society, from the Court to the Cottage. The CHARADE is, in fact, a near Relation of the old Rebus. It is usually formed from a Word of two Syllables; the first Syllable is described by the Writer; then the second; they are afterwards united and the whole Word marked out .... [supplement to "The Universal Magazine of Knowledge and Pleasure," volumes 58-59, 1776]
Among the examples given are:
My first makes all nature appear of one face;At the next we find music, and beauty and grace;And, if this Charade is most easily read,I think that the third shou'd be thrown at my head.
[The answer is "snow-ball."]
The silent form, the main modern form, was at first a variant known as dumb charades and at first it was not a speed contest; rather it adhered to the old pattern, and the performing team acted out all the parts in order before the audience team began to guess.
There is one species of charade which is performed solely by "dumb motions," somewhat resembling the child's game of "trades and professions"; but the acting charade is a much more amusing. and more difficult matter. ["Goldoni, and Modern Italian Comedy," in "The Foreign And Colonial Quarterly Review," Volume 6, 1846]
An 1850 book, "Acting Charades," reports that Charades en Action were all the rage in French society, and that "Lately, the game has been introduced into the drawing-rooms of a few mirth-loving Englishmen. Its success has been tremendous." Welsh siarad obviously is a loan-word from French or English, but its meaning of "speak, a talk" is closer to the Provençal original.

noun pretense

Example sentences :

He looked on hopelessly, as you look at a charade of which you have not got the key.
Extract from : « My New Curate » by P.A. Sheehan

And yet people do not get hanged or run through the body for the sake of a charade.
Extract from : « The Innocence of Father Brown » by G. K. Chesterton

Nancy, who was an inevitable member of the charade, was to be on Tom's side.
Extract from : « Tutors' Lane » by Wilmarth Lewis

It was, he guessed, because of the too tender passage in the charade.
Extract from : « Tutors' Lane » by Wilmarth Lewis

So, one by one, all her nice games were abandoned and only the charade is left.
Extract from : « Tutors' Lane » by Wilmarth Lewis

Mary was to be one of the charade captains and Tom Reynolds the other.
Extract from : « Tutors' Lane » by Wilmarth Lewis

He says he's got a charade, and Milburd will dress up too, and we'll have it before the Lecture.
Extract from : « Happy-Thought Hall » by F. C. Burnand

It was with these that we began, but little by little the word of the charade disappeared.
Extract from : « Famous Women: George Sand » by Bertha Thomas

The audience was already applauding the end of the first charade.
Extract from : « A Patriotic Schoolgirl » by Angela Brazil

In the evening he proposed that his son and daughter and I should act a charade.
Extract from : « Tracks of a Rolling Stone » by Henry J. Coke

Synonyms for charade

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019