puppet-play

A child watches a puppet-play at a small theater.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A theatrical performance using puppets: A "puppet-play" is a dramatic presentation in which manipulated figures (puppets) act out a story, typically on a small stage, as a form of entertainment.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The children watched a puppet-play about a brave knight and a dragon. (A performance featuring puppets that told a story.)
  • Traditional puppet-plays are still popular in some cultures for teaching moral lessons. (Dramatic shows using puppets are performed.)

Advanced Usage

• "to stage a puppet-play": to organize and present a puppet performance.

  • The school drama club decided to stage a puppet-play for the local festival. (They arranged and performed a show with puppets.)

• "puppet-play tradition": the cultural practice of performing puppet shows.

  • The water puppet-play tradition in Vietnam dates back centuries. (The custom of performing puppets on water is an ancient art form.)

Variants and Related Words

• Puppet-show (n): another term for puppet-play, often used interchangeably.

  • The puppet-show at the fair attracted a large crowd. (A performance with puppets.)

• Puppeteer (n): a person who manipulates puppets in a puppet-play.

  • The skilled puppeteer brought the wooden figure to life during the puppet-play. (The operator of the puppets.)

• Puppetry (n): the art of making and manipulating puppets, especially in puppet-plays.

  • She studied puppetry to improve her puppet-play performances. (The craft of working with puppets.)

Synonyms

• Marionette show: a puppet-play using string-operated puppets.
• Puppet theatre: the setting or genre of puppet performances.

Related Idioms

• To pull the strings: to control events or people from behind the scenes, similar to how a puppeteer controls a puppet in a puppet-play.

  • In the company, the CEO pulls the strings, just like a puppeteer in a puppet-play. (He secretly controls everything.)

• To be a puppet: to be controlled by someone else, as in a puppet-play.

  • The politician was just a puppet for the wealthy donors, acting in a political puppet-play. (He had no real power and was manipulated.)