BYPLAY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does byplay mean? 

• BYPLAY (noun)
  The noun BYPLAY has 1 sense:

1. incidental activity performed by an actor for dramatic effect

  Familiarity information: BYPLAY used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BYPLAY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Incidental activity performed by an actor for dramatic effect

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

business; byplay; stage business

Context example:

his business with the cane was hilarious

Hypernyms ("byplay" is a kind of...):

acting; performing; playacting; playing (the performance of a part or role in a drama)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "byplay"):

schtick; schtik; shtick; shtik ((Yiddish) a contrived and often used bit of business that a performer uses to steal attention)

 Context examples 

This little bit of byplay excited Annie's curiosity, but Meg was too tired for gossip and went to bed, feeling as if she had been to a masquerade and hadn't enjoyed herself as much as she expected.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)