I. pəˈrād, in rapid speech ˈpr- noun
( -s )
Etymology: French, from Middle French, from parer to prepare, adorn + -ade — more at pare
1.
a. : a pompous show : formal display : exhibition
make an important parade of doing nothing — James Hilton
could not be restrained from making rather an ostentatious parade of his liberality — Charles Dickens
wanted to find people as they always were, not on parade — Margaret Biddle
from early spring to late fall there is a constant parade of gorgeous color — American Guide Series: Massachusetts
puts human flummery and pretentiousness on parade in a crowded gallery of portraits — C.J. Rolo
b. : listing , recital
a radio program parade
the book … is a pleasant parade of the things he has enjoyed most — Saturday Review
a parade of popular songs
c. Britain : a style show or display of fashions by mannequins
2.
a. : the ceremonial formation of a body of troops before its commanding or other high officer typically involving exercises in the manual of arms, a report on the numbers of the various units present or accounted for, and the publication of orders and ending with a review ; also : any of various other ceremonial formations of a body of troops
b. : a place where troops assemble for regular formations or ceremonies
c. : troops that take part in a ceremonial formation
3.
a. : an informal march or procession
a parade of witness testified
a parade of more outstanding singers than could possibly be cast in a single opera — Miles Kastendieck
b. : a formal public procession : the movement of any body of people or things marshaled in something like military order
a parade of firemen
a circus parade
a boat parade
c. : a showy array or succession
a parade of linament bottles along the chimneypiece — Elizabeth Bowen
a parade of long-distance pipelines — Gardiner Symonds
slash pockets at the hips, from which a parade of box pleats starts around the back — Lois Long
discriminative sensing of the down-the-years parade of American attitudes — C.L.Carmer
d. : a movement in favor of a particular policy or action
joined the propaganda parade — J.B.Reston
join the UN parade in accepting the Indian plan — Mark Feer
4. : a place where people promenade : a public walk, square, or promenade
5.
a. : those who parade : an assembly of promenaders
b. : an assembly of people
there have been meets … at various places — annual parades — R.E.Meyer
Synonyms: see display
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
1. : to assemble (as troops) in formation : cause to maneuver or march ceremoniously : marshal
2. : to promenade (a place)
veiled female had been parading the docks — T.B.Costain
3. : to exhibit in a showy or ostentatious manner : show off
the ugly woman does not parade herself vainly — Irish Digest
lavish floats are paraded up and down the river — Green Peyton
politicians … have paraded their artistic incapacity as a virtue — Times Literary Supplement
ladies and gentlemen … paraded their fine manners, wit, and charm — H.J.Muller
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to march or take part in a procession
this army of penguins would parade along the beach — H.A.Chippendale
mob of thousands recently paraded through Mustafa Kamal Square in Cairo — H.C. Atyeo
freighters parade in and out of the Capes — American Guide Series: Virginia
b. : to form a review
2.
a. : to walk up and down
parade beneath the balcony — Elizabeth Bowen
down on the wharf the sentry paraded stiffly — K.M.Dodson
b. : to promenade especially for showing off
ladies wore black in the morning but in the afternoon paraded in dashing silk gowns — C.L. Jones
3.
a. : show off
drove so well, so quietly, without making any disturbance, without parading to her — Jane Austen
b. : masquerade
myths which parade as modern science — M.R.Cohen
dogmatism parading as enlightenment — Eric Partridge
Synonyms: see show
III. pəˈräd noun
( -s )
Etymology: French, from parer to parry + -ade — more at parry
: parry