Ovation

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Ovation \O*va"tion\, n. [L. ovatio, fr. ovare to exult, rejoice,
     triumph in an ovation; cf. Gr. ? to shout: cf. F. ovation.]
     1. (Rom. Antiq.) A lesser kind of triumph allowed to a
        commander for an easy, bloodless victory, or a victory
        over slaves.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     2. Hence: An expression of popular homage; the tribute of the
        multitude to a public favorite.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              To rain an April of ovation round
              Their statues.                        --Tennyson.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Especially: A prolonged applause for a person of group
        after a speech or performance.
        [PJC]
  
     {standing ovation} a prolonged applause during which the
        audience stands as a sign of special appreciation or
        admiration.
        [PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  ovation
       n : enthusiastic recognition (especially one accompanied by loud
           applause) [syn: {standing ovation}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  56 Moby Thesaurus words for "ovation":
     acclaim, acclamation, anniversaries, applause, big hand,
     burst of applause, celebrating, celebration, ceremony, cheer,
     cheering, cheers, clap, clapping, clapping of hands, commemoration,
     dressing ship, eclat, encore, fanfare, fanfaronade, festivity,
     flourish of trumpets, hand, handclap, handclapping, holiday,
     jubilee, kudos, laudation, marking the occasion, memorialization,
     memory, observance, plaudit, plaudits, popularity, praise,
     rejoicing, religious rites, remembrance, revel, rite,
     ritual observance, round of applause, salute, salvo,
     solemn observance, solemnization, testimonial, testimonial banquet,
     testimonial dinner, thunder of applause, toast, tribute, triumph
  
  

From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]:

  OVATION, n.  n ancient Rome, a definite, formal pageant in honor of
  one who had been disserviceable to the enemies of the nation.  A
  lesser "triumph."  In modern English the word is improperly used to
  signify any loose and spontaneous expression of popular homage to the
  hero of the hour and place.
  
      "I had an ovation!" the actor man said,
          But I thought it uncommonly queer,
      That people and critics by him had been led
              By the ear.
  
      The Latin lexicon makes his absurd
          Assertion as plain as a peg;
      In "ovum" we find the true root of the word.
              It means egg.
                                                            Dudley Spink