dumb show
dumb show — noun
1. a way of communicating ideas or feelings through hand signals, facial expression
a way of communicating ideas or feelings through hand signals, facial expressions, and body movements instead of using spoken language
The librarian used a quick dumb show to tell the noisy students to be quiet.
used + dumb show + to-infinitive for purpose
James and Beatrix communicated entirely in dumb show from opposite sides of the crowded room.
The early silent films were a form of dumb show that crossed all language barriers.
When the microphone failed, the speaker fell back on dumb show to finish her presentation.
Yuki and Hamza developed a private dumb show of signals to chat during long meetings.
The two travelers with no common language used a dumb show to arrange their trip.
Haruto's dumb show made the children laugh as he pretended to climb an invisible ladder.
- pantomime
refers specifically to theatrical performance using only body movements
- mime
the art of acting without words, often as a performance skill
- body language
broader and more general; includes unconscious signals, not just deliberate communication
- speech
communication using spoken words
文法句型
dumb show (uncountable, the general method)
a dumb show (countable, a specific instance)
用法筆記
The word 'dumb' in modern English can cause offence when used to describe a person's inability to speak, but 'dumb show' is a fixed literary and theatrical term that is not considered offensive.