Rebus

3 definitions found

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

  Rebus \Re"bus\ (r[=e]"b[u^]s), n.; pl. {Rebuses}
     (r[=e]"b[u^]s*[e^]z). [L. rebus by things, abl. pl. of res a
     thing: cf. F. r['e]bus. Cf. 3d {Real}.]
     1. A mode of expressing words and phrases by pictures of
        objects whose names resemble those words, or the syllables
        of which they are composed; enigmatical representation of


        words by figures; hence, a peculiar form of riddle made up
        of such representations.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: A gallant, in love with a woman named Rose Hill, had,
           embroidered on his gown, a rose, a hill, an eye, a
           loaf, and a well, signifying, Rose Hill I love well.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Her.) A pictorial suggestion on a coat of arms of the
        name of the person to whom it belongs. See {Canting arms},
        under {Canting}.
        [1913 Webster]

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

  Rebus \Re"bus\, v. t.
     To mark or indicate by a rebus.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           He [John Morton] had a fair library rebused with More
           in text and Tun under it.                --Fuller.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  rebus
       n : a puzzle where you decode a message consisting of pictures
           representing syllables and words