Definition

1. Noun:

   • A performance using gestures and body movements without words: "Mime" refers to a theatrical art form or a specific performance where the artist expresses a story or idea through physical movement, without using speech.
   • A performer who specializes in this art form: "Mime" also denotes the actor who performs using only gestures, facial expressions, and body language.

2. Verb:

   • To act out or convey a story using only gestures and body movements: The action of performing mime, communicating without words.
   • To imitate or mimic a person's actions or mannerisms, often for humorous or satirical effect: This usage involves copying someone's behavior, typically in an exaggerated way.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The street performer's mime captivated the audience with its silent storytelling.
  • Marcel Marceau was a famous French mime known for his character "Bip."

• Verb:

  • The actor had to mime opening a heavy door for the silent film scene.
  • She can mime the teacher's distinctive walk perfectly, making everyone laugh.

Advanced Usage

• "In mime": Describing something done in the style of mime.

  • The entire sequence was performed in mime, accompanied only by music.

• "To mime to a song/recording": To synchronize gestures and lip movements with a pre-recorded audio track, often for comedic or performance effect.

  • For the talent show, they decided to mime to a popular song.

Variants and Related Words

• Mimic (verb/noun): To imitate closely; a person or thing that imitates. (Note: While related, "mimic" often implies imitation in general, not necessarily the specific theatrical art of mime).

  • Parrots are excellent mimics of human speech.

• Mimetic (adjective): Relating to, characterized by, or exhibiting mimicry.

  • The mimetic quality of the dance was striking.

• Pantomime (noun): A theatrical entertainment, often for children, involving music, topical jokes, and slapstick comedy. In British English, it is a distinct Christmas tradition. It shares the silent, gestural roots with mime but is a more specific genre.

Synonyms

• Pantomime (for the noun form, especially the performance).
• Gesture (for the verb form, in the context of communicating without words).
• Imitate, Ape, Copy (for the verb form meaning to mimic).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Mime along (to something): To mimic the actions in time with something, like music.
  • The children loved to mime along to their favorite cartoon theme.

Related Idioms

• (As) silent as a mime: Extremely quiet or not speaking. (A playful, modern idiom based on the art form's defining characteristic).
  • After the argument, he was as silent as a mime for the rest of the day.

Noun

1. a performance using gestures and body movements without words
2. an actor who communicates entirely by gesture and facial expression

Verb

1. act out without words but with gestures and bodily movements only
   • The acting students mimed eating an apple
2. imitate (a person or manner), especially for satirical effect
   • The actor mimicked the President very accurately