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.
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
v.1680s (transitive), from parade (n.). Intransitive sense from 1748. Related: Paraded; parading. n.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. see hit parade; rain on one’s parade.