dumb show
1. In the early drama, A part of a play represented by action without speech, chiefly in order to exhibit more of the story than could otherwise be included, but sometimes merely emblematical.
| 1561 Norton & Sackv. Gorboduc (1847) 94 The Order of the domme shewe before the firste Acte, and the Signification therof. 1602 Shakes. Ham. iii. ii. 14 Groundlings, who (for the most part) are capeable of nothing, but inexplicable dumbe shewes, and noise. a 1628 F. Greville Sidney (1652) 77 Both stood still a while, like a dumb shew in a tragedy. 1674 S. Vincent Gallant's Acad. 20 You have heard..nothing but the Prologue, and seen no more than a Dumb Show: Our Vetus Comedia steps out now. 1887 Saintsbury Hist. Elizab. Lit. vii. (1890) 275 The recourse to dumb show (which, however, Webster again permitted himself in The Duchess). |
2. Significant gesture without speech.
| 1588 Shakes. Tit. A. iii. i. 31 Or shall we bit our tongues, and in dumbe shewes Passe the remainder of our..dayes? 1611 Cotgr., Emparle silence, a dumbe shew, or speaking by signes. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 123 ¶5 Expressing in dumb Show those Sentiments of..Gratitude that were too big for Utterance. 1888 Frith Autobiog. III. v. 109 A great master in the art of conveying a story by dumb-show. |
3. attrib., as dumb-show-man.
| 1812 J. Nott Dekker's Gvlls Horne-bk. 56 note, A sort of dumb-show-man stands forth between the acts, holding up a board on which is inscribed the business of the act about to commence. |