parade

[puh-reyd]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR parade ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a large public procession, usually including a marching band and often of a festive nature, held in honor of an anniversary, person, event, etc.

a military ceremony involving the formation and marching of troop units, often combined with saluting the lowering of the flag at the end of the day.

the assembly of troops for inspection or display.

a place where troops regularly assemble for inspection or display.

a continual passing by, as of people, objects, or events: the parade of pedestrians past the office; the parade of the seasons.

an ostentatious display: to make a parade of one's religious beliefs.

Chiefly British.

a group or procession of promenaders.
a promenade.

Fortification. the level space forming the interior or enclosed area of a fortification.

Fencing. a parry.

verb (used with object), pa·rad·ed, pa·rad·ing.

to walk up and down on or in.

to make parade of; display ostentatiously.

to cause to march or proceed for display.

verb (used without object), pa·rad·ed, pa·rad·ing.

to march in a procession.

to promenade in a public place, especially in order to show off.

to assemble in military order for display.

to assume a false or misleading appearance: international pressure that parades as foreign aid.

Origin of parade

1650–60; < French, Middle French < Spanish parada a stop, stopping place, noun use of feminine of parado, past participle of parar to stop, end < Latin parāre to set. See compare, parry, -ade¹

Related formspa·rade·ful, adjectivepa·rade·less, adjectivepa·rade·like, adjectivepa·rad·er, nounpa·rad·ing·ly, adverbun·pa·rad·ed, adjective

Synonyms for parade

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR parade ON THESAURUS.COM

11. show, flaunt, flourish.

Antonyms for parade

11. conceal.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for parade

ceremony, show, ritual, procession, spectacle, demonstration, flash, strut, prance, demonstrate, swagger, brandish, shine, march, cavalcade, column, review, ostentation, panoply, train

Examples from the Web for parade

Contemporary Examples of parade

Women want a hot, young thing to parade around on their arm, too.
Career-Minded Women Turn to Male Escorts For No-Strings Fun and (Maybe) Sex
Aurora Snow
January 3, 2015
Circus parades often became as large a sight as the performance itself; one Barnum and Bailey parade stretched for three miles.
We’re All Carnies Now: Why We Can’t Quit the Circus
Anthony Paletta
November 27, 2014
Maybe we should have this parade as soon as we can organize it.
It’s Time for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans to Get a Parade of Their Own
Michael Daly
November 11, 2014
On Tuesday, we will once again have a fine Veterans Day parade in mid-Manhattan.
It’s Time for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans to Get a Parade of Their Own
Michael Daly
November 11, 2014
The advantage to having a parade on 9/11 is it would remind everybody that the war started with an attack on America.
It’s Time for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans to Get a Parade of Their Own
Michael Daly
November 11, 2014

Historical Examples of parade

The civic portion of the parade numbered about five thousand men.
Ridgeway
Scian Dubh
Shouldn't we order out our askaris with their guns to make the parade?
The Leopard Woman
Stewart Edward White
She has entered upon a parade, which she knows not how to quit with a female grace.
Clarissa, Volume 2 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson
I thought again of that parade and my impression of mass force.
The Harbor
Ernest Poole
Has this parade gone to your head—or has Sue been talking to you again?
The Harbor
Ernest Poole

British Dictionary definitions for parade

parade

noun

an ordered, esp ceremonial, march, assembly, or procession, as of troops being reviewedon parade

Also called: parade ground a place where military formations regularly assemble

a visible show or displayto make a parade of one's grief

a public promenade or street of shops

a successive display of things or people

the interior area of a fortification

a parry in fencing

rain on someone's parade to hinder someone's enjoyment; upset someone's plans

on parade

on display
showing oneself off

verb

(when intr, often foll by through or along) to walk or march, esp in a procession (through)to parade the streets

(tr) to exhibit or flaunthe was parading his medals

(tr) to cause to assemble in formation, as for a military parade

(intr) to walk about in a public place

Derived Formsparader, noun

Word Origin for parade

C17: from French: a making ready, a setting out, a boasting display; compare Italian parata, Spanish parada, all ultimately from Latin parāre to prepare

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for parade

1650s, "a show of bravado," also "an assembly of troops for inspections," from French parade "display, show, military parade," from Middle French parade (15c.), or from Italian parate "a warding or defending, a garish setting forth," or Spanish parada "a staying or stopping," all from Vulgar Latin *parata, from Latin parere "arrange, prepare, adorn" (see pare), which developed widespread senses in Romanic derivatives. Non-military sense of "march, procession" is first recorded 1670s.

1680s (transitive), from parade (n.). Intransitive sense from 1748. Related: Paraded; parading.

Idioms and Phrases with parade

parade

see hit parade; rain on one's parade.