allude
/əˈl(j)uːd
/verb [no object] (allude to)
1Suggest or call attention to indirectly; hint at: she had a way of alluding to Jean but never saying her name...
- In the third part of the book Brueggemann discusses what he calls ‘Unsolicited Testimony,’ or texts which indirectly allude to the nature of Yahweh.
- However the Chinese, for the past 2,000-odd years, have been expert at alluding indirectly, through historical analogies, to current political events.
- It may be the case that ‘Gudeman of Ballangeich’ had become a general term for alluding indirectly to a Scottish king, but it is possible that Charles I and Charles Edward were seen as having more in common with James V than Stuart blood.
Synonyms
refer to, suggest, hint at, imply, mention, touch on, mention in passing, mention en passant, speak briefly of, make an allusion to, cite
rare advert to
1.1Mention without discussing at length: we will allude briefly to the main points...
- At no time during this meeting did he discuss or allude to specific violations of conduct, Lavik said.
- In the mid-20th century a variety of factors (which I can only briefly allude to here) converged to spark a second wave of marriage-law reform.
- She does briefly allude to this complexity between the local and the national on pages 27-28, but this could have been enhanced by further explicit reasoning and additional detail.
1.2(Of an artist or a work of art) recall (an earlier work or style) in such a way as to suggest a relationship with it: the photographs allude to Italian Baroque painting...
- Several other works allude to the importance of family connections among artists in Rome that were made through workshops, collaborations, friendships, and marriages.
- Neate's works allude to aspects of art history that critical received taste occasionally dismisses as slightly kitschy.
- While other artists may allude to the interaction of nature and culture, he draws on both realms for his very materials, employing chlorophyll as well as acrylic paint.
Origin
Late 15th century (in the sense 'hint at, suggest'): from Latin allus-, alludere, from ad- 'towards' + ludere 'to play'.
Allude is from Latin alludere ‘play with’, from ad- ‘towards’ and ludere ‘to play’.