rebus

plural rebuses · plural rare rebusses · hypercorrect plural rare rebi

1. An arrangement of pictures, symbols, or words representing phrases or words, especially as a word puzzle.

   I back him at a Rebus or a Charade against the best Rhymer in the Kingdom—has your Ladyship heard the Epigram he wrote last week on Lady Frizzle's Feather catching Fire—

   1777, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, I.i

   Synonyms: rebus puzzle, dingbat

2. human sciencesA pictographic component of a compound character (e.g. sinograph) used to hint at the pronunciation of the compound.
3. specificallygovernmentAn arrangement of pictures on a coat of arms which suggests the name of the person to whom it belongs.

   The prior [Will Bolton] used to come out here to hunt in summer and recreate himself, and his rebus—a barrel or tun shot through with a crossbow bolt—is set into the garden walls.

   2020 March 5, Hilary Mantel, “Salvage: London, Summer 1536”, in The Mirror & the Light, London: 4th Estate, →ISBN, page 122

4. crosswordingA type of crossword puzzle in which some squares contain entire words, or symbols representing words, instead of single letters.

   Instead of spelling out card suits, for example, perhaps the constructor inserted a "rebus," or picture icon for clubs, hearts, spades, or diamonds in one answer box.

   2008 August 5, Michelle Arnot, Four-Letter Words: And Other Secrets of a Crossword Insider, Penguin, →ISBN, page 37

   2 more examples

   Rebuses are a vital part of cryptic crosswords and even themed standard crossword puzzles, as modernized under the leadership of Will Shortz at The New York Times, make use of rebuses.

   2021 June 2, Jonathan Berkowitz, The Whirl of Words: Puzzling Past and Present, FriesenPress, →ISBN, page 89

   In the cruciverse, a rebus refers to a crossword that violates the basic "one letter per box" rule, requiring the entry of multiple letters - or even a number or symbol - into a single square

   2023 November 14, David Bukszpan, Crosswordese: The Weird and Wonderful Language of Crossword Puzzles, Chronicle Books, →ISBN, page 34

present singular third person rebuses · present singular third person rebusses · participle present rebusing · participle present rebussing · participle past rebused · past rebused · participle past rebussed · past rebussed

1. obsoleteraretransitiveTo represent (a phrase or word) as a rebus.
2. obsoleteraretransitiveTo apply a rebus to (something).

   He [John Morton] was a learned man, and had a fair library, (rebussed with more in text and tun under it,) partly remaining in the possession of the late earl of Arundel.

   1655, Thomas Fuller, “Section IV. To John Ferrars, of Tamworth Castle, Esquire.”, in The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI), subsection 34 (The Death of Archbishop Morton. A.D. 1500.), page 539