pantomime: [17] In ancient Rome, a pantomīmus was a ‘mime artist’, a sort of Marcel Marceau performer who acted scenes, incidents, etc without words. The term was adopted from Greek pantómōmos ‘complete imitator’, a compound formed from panto- ‘all’ and mōmos ‘imitator, actor’ (source of English mime). English originally took the word over in this historical sense, and it was not until the early 18th century that it began to be used first for a sort of mime ballet and then for a play without words, relating a popular tale, which gradually developed into the Christmas fairy-tale pantomimes of the 19th and 20th centuries.
The abbreviation panto dates from the mid-19th century. => mime
pantomime (n.)
1610s, "mime actor," from Latin pantomimus "mime, dancer," from Greek pantomimos "actor," literally "imitator of all," from panto- (genitive of pan) "all" (see pan-) + mimos "imitator" (see mime (n.)).
Meaning "drama or play without words" first recorded 1735. The English dramatic performances so called, usually at Christmas and with words and songs and stock characters, are attested by this name from 1739; said to have originated c. 1717. Related: Pantomimic; pantomimical.
pantomime (v.)
1768, from pantomime (n.). Related: Pantomimed; pantomiming.
权威例句
1. He is currently starring in pantomime in Weston-super-Mare.
他目前正在滨海韦斯顿主演圣诞童话剧。
2. Pantomime is about bringing laughter to thousands.
圣诞童话剧旨在把欢笑带给千千万万的人。
3. The audience roared at the pantomime.
观众被这场哑剧逗得大笑.
4. They were made welcome with the usual pantomime of exaggerated smiles and gestures.
他们受到了一如往常的欢迎,夸张的笑容和姿态如同一场闹剧。
5. The rights of every American to good government have been damaged by the pantomime on Capitol Hill.