pantomime
pantomime — noun
1. a British comic stage show, full of songs, dance and silly jokes, that retells a
a British comic stage show, full of songs, dance and silly jokes, that retells a famous fairy tale such as Cinderella and is put on for families around Christmas.
Every December, the Mason family books seats at the local pantomime in Brighton.
British cultural noun: 'the pantomime' as a Christmas family outing
This year's pantomime at the Hackney Empire is a noisy, joyful version of Cinderella.
typical structure: pantomime + based on a fairy tale
Mrs. Khan's drama club is staging a pantomime called Aladdin in the school hall.
Hugh Bonneville will play the wicked queen in this season's West End pantomime.
At the Liverpool pantomime, the children shouted 'He's behind you!' as loudly as they could.
- panto
informal British shortening, used in everyday talk
- Christmas show
broader, less specific to the British fairy-tale format
用法筆記
Subject is normally a UK theatre, family or school. Often shortened to 'panto' in everyday British speech. Used with the definite article when speaking of the cultural tradition: 'go to the pantomime'.
常見錯誤
2. a way of telling a story or showing an idea using only the body, hands and face,
a way of telling a story or showing an idea using only the body, hands and face, without speaking; also a single performance done in this style.
The street performers told the story of a lost child entirely through pantomime.
uncountable: pantomime as an art form
Lina watched her grandfather's pantomime and laughed when he pretended to climb a tall ladder.
countable: a single pantomime performance
Mr. Davies opens every drama class with pantomime so the new students can warm up without speaking.
In the silent film, Buster Keaton's pantomime makes the audience cry with laughter.
- speech
the verbal channel that pantomime deliberately avoids
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about wordless performance technique, NOT the British Christmas play (which has plenty of singing and shouting). The British Christmas show is also called pantomime, but does include speech and music.
常見錯誤
pantomime — verb
1. to act out a scene or feeling using only the body and face, without speaking, of
to act out a scene or feeling using only the body and face, without speaking, often to amuse an audience or to be understood when talking is not possible.
Marco pantomimed at the back of the bus while his friends giggled into their sleeves.
intransitive: pantomime + adverbial of place
Over the loud music, the tour guide pantomimed wildly toward the exit.
intransitive: pantomime + adverbial of manner; communicating without speech
Whenever a song came on, Grandpa pantomimed by the sofa and made the kids laugh.
The waiter could not speak French, so he pantomimed until Sophie understood.
- speak
the verbal alternative
用法筆記
Intransitive only in this sense. Frequently appears with an adverbial phrase showing where, when or to whom the silent acting happens. If you need a direct object (the thing being acted out), use sense 2.
常見錯誤
2. to show what a particular action, feeling or object is by using only your body a
to show what a particular action, feeling or object is by using only your body and face, so that another person can understand it without you speaking.
Carlos pantomimed drinking from a cup to ask the waiter for water.
transitive: pantomime + -ing object
The kindergarten teacher pantomimed a sleeping cat, and the children copied her at once.
transitive: pantomime + noun phrase as direct object
Sophie pantomimed her sister's angry face so well that the whole family burst out laughing.
During the airport delay, Marcus pantomimed brushing his teeth to find out where the bathroom was.
The mime artist pantomimed a heavy suitcase being dragged across the stage.
- describe
to use words instead of body movement
文法句型
pantomime + noun
pantomime + -ing
用法筆記
Transitive in this sense — must be followed by a direct object, often a gerund phrase ('pantomimed eating soup') or a noun phrase ('pantomimed the angry boss'). Distinguish from sense 1, which never takes an object.