Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.

Definition: Spectacles |
SpectaclesNoun1. Optical instrument consisting of a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "spectacles" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1350. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Dream Interpretation | To dream of spectacles, foretells that strangers will cause changes in your affairs. Frauds will be practised on your credulity. To dream that you see broken spectacles, denotes estrangement caused by fondness for illegal pleasures. Source: Ten Thousand Dreams Interpreted .... |
Literature | Spectacles the device of Thackeray in drawings made by him. In Punch, vol. xx. No. 495, p. 8, is a butcher's boy chalking up "No Popery," and the tray forms a pair of spectacles, showing it was designed by Thackeray. Source: Brewer's Dictionary. |
Medicine | A pair of ophthalmic lenses together with frame or mounting. Source: European Union. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
Synonyms: SpectaclesSynonyms: eyeglasses (n), glasses (n), specs (n). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Misjudgment | Prejudge, forejudge; presuppose, presume, prejudicate; dogmatize; have a bias; Noun: have only one idea; jurare in verba magistri, run away with the notion; jump to a conclusion, rush to a conclusion, leap to a conclusion, judge hastily, shoot from the hip, jump to conclusions; look only at one side of the shield; view with jaundiced eye, view through distorting spectacles; not see beyond one's nose; dare pondus fumo; get the wrong sow by the ear; (blunder). |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Spectacles |
| English words defined with "spectacles": amphitheater, amphitheatre, anaglyphy, arena ♦ coliseum ♦ dark glasses ♦ escolar, eyeglass wearer ♦ glasses case, goggles ♦ Lepidocybium flavobrunneum ♦ Pantoscopic, pince-nez ♦ shades, sunglasses. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "spectacles": Blimber ♦ Gig-lamps, GLASS EYES ♦ Moses Primrose ♦ orthopedic spectacles ♦ pantoscopic glasses, Pickwick ♦ radiore method ♦ Verdant Green. (references) |
| Etymologies containing "spectacles": Brills. (references) |
| Non-English Usage: "Spectacles" is also a word in the following language with the English translation in parentheses. French (sights). |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | What about your spectacles and fancy clothes? (Unforgiven; writing credit: Walon Green; Roy N. Sickner) You can get them spectacles now. (Unforgiven; writing credit: Walon Green; Roy N. Sickner) Gentlemen, you'll permit me to put on my spectacles, as I have grown not only grey but also blind in the service of my country. (George Washington; writing credit: Jon Boothe; Richard Fielder) If you don't scold and dominate us We will never give you cause to hate us We won't hide your spectacles so you can't see Put toads in your bed or pepper in your tea. (Mary Poppins; writing credit: P.L. Travers; Bill Walsh) Spectacles, Testicles, Watch, Wallet. (Keeping the Faith; writing credit: Stuart Blumberg) | |
Movie/TV Titles | A Pair of Spectacles (1916) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title | ||
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Music |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
![]() | Fitting the right lenses in his spectacles ... means he can once more see the world about him. / WHO p. Credit: National Library of Medicine; photo by N. Willard.. | ![]() | Who stole the tarts?] Here the Queen put on her spectacles and began staring at the Hatter .. Credit: Library of Congress. |
![]() | The OP spectacles / Cruikshank del. Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | Samuel G. Goodrich, head-and-shoulders portrait, three-quarters to the left, wearing spectacles. Credit: Library of Congress. |
![]() | William Frederick Havemeyer, half-length portrait, three-quarters to right, arms crossed, with side whiskers, wearing spectacles. Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | Truman Smith, half-length portrait, facing left, wearing spectacles. Credit: Library of Congress. |
![]() | George Perkins Marsh family. Marsh seated beside a table with tablecloth, on the left, his head turned to the right, wearing spectacles, his wife seated on the right, her hand on his, her head slightly to the left, both holding papers; Caroline's sister,. Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | Cornelius Mathews, half-length portrait, facing front, wearing spectacles. Credit: Library of Congress. |
![]() | Philip Coker, three-quarter length portrait, full face, seated, wearing spectacles. Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | Imre Kiralfy's greatest of all spectacles, Venice, the bride of the sea, at Olympia. Credit: Library of Congress. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
| Author | Quotation |
Josh Billings | If you ever find happiness by hunting for it, you will find it as the old woman did her lost spectacles. Safe on her own nose all the time. |
Oliver Wendell Holmes | Revolutions are not made by men in spectacles. |
Thomas De Quincey | Call for the grandest of all earthly spectacles, what is that? It is the sun going to his rest. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | |
| Title | Author | Quote |
Alice in Wonderland | Carroll, Lewis | Here the Queen put on her spectacles, and began staring hard at the Hatter, who turned pale and fidgeted. |
Les Miserables | Hugo, Victor | It is the peculiarity of sublime spectacles that they take possession of every soul, and make of every witness a spectator. |
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man | Joyce, James | A heavybuilt student wearing gold spectacles stared with some wonder at the questioner. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Business | Some 175,000 persons over the age of 16 require special vision aids in addition to regular spectacles. (references) | |
Civil Liberties | Costa Rica | The Office of Control of Public Spectacles rates films and has the authority to restrict or prohibit their showing; it has similar powers over television programs and stage plays. (references) |
Political Economy | VENEZUELA | Minors may not work in mines or smelters, in occupations "that risk life or health," in jobs that could damage their intellectual or moral development, or in "public spectacles." Those under 16 years of age cannot work more than 6 hours a day, or 30 hours a week. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Spectacles" is generally used as a noun (plural) -- approximately 99.83% of the time. "Spectacles" is used about 590 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (plural) | 99.83% | 589 | 10,783 |
| Noun (proper) | 0.17% | 1 | 339,140 |
| Total | 100.00% | 590 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expressions using "spectacles": a pair of spectacles ♦ cyclops spectacles ♦ hearing spectacles ♦ orthopedic spectacles ♦ pair of spectacles ♦ Periscopic spectacles ♦ see things through rose spectacles ♦ spectacles case ♦ view through distorting spectacles. Additional references. | |
| Hypenated Usage | |
Ending with "spectacles": Arts-spectacles, half-spectacles. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Language | Translations for "spectacles"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Afrikaans | bril (glasses). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albanian | syze (barnacle, eyeglass, eyeglasses, eyepiece, glass, glasses, goggles, lens, ocular, specs), gjyzlykë (eyeglass, glasses). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic | نظارات (barnacle, glasses), ببهرجة. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bulgarian | очила (barnacle, eyeglasses, glasses, goggles, specs). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Catalan | ulleres (glasses). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 眼镜 (spectacle), 眼鏡 (eyeglasses). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech | brejle (specs). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | briller (glasses). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | bril (glasses, seat). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Esperanto | okulvitroj (glasses). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | silmälasit (glasses, goggles). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | lunettes (specs). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | Brille (eye glasses, eyeglasses, glasses, goggles, specs, toilet seat), Schauspiele. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | γυαλιά (glasses). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hebrew | משקפים (glasses). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | szemüveg (eyeglasses, glasses, pair of eye-glasses, specs). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indonesian | kaca mata (eyeglasses, glasses). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | occhiali (glass, glasses, goggles, specs). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Kanji | 眼鏡 (glasses). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Katakana | が"きょう (dogged, glasses, ringleader, stubborn, tenacious), めがね (glasses). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Korean | 가관 (spectacle). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lombard | oggiaj (glasses). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manx | speckleyryn (glasses). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Norwegian | briller (glasses). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Papiamen | brel di bista (glasses), brel (glasses). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | ectaclesspay óculos (eyeglasses, glass, glasses, specs, telescope). (various references) ochelari (barnacles, Blinders, blinkers, eye-glass, glass, glasses, goggles, lorgnette, sunglasses). (various references) очки (eyeglasses, glass, glasses, specs). (various references) speuclair (pair of spectacles). (various references) naočari (eyeglasses, specs). (various references) gafas (glasses, pair of spectacles, specs), lentes (glasses, lenses, specs). (various references) aygrasi (glasses). (various references) glasögon (eyeglasses, glasses, goggles, spects). (various references) gözlük (a pair of eyeglasses, a pair of spectacles, eyeglasses, glasses, goggles, specs). (various references) дяnek (glasses). (various references) кольорове скло світлофора, окуляри (barnacle, barnacles, glasses, peepers, specs). (various references) sbectol. (various references) izibuko (glasses). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Derivations | |
Words ending with "spectacles": superspectacles. (additional references) | |
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"Spectacles" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: spectable, spectacal, spectale, spectecel, spectecle, specticle, spetacle. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "spectacles" (pronounced spe"ktukulz) |
| 6 | -t u k u l z | articles, obstacles, particles, tentacles. |
| 5 | -u k u l z | barnacles, chronicles, follicles, miracles, oracles, ossicles, radicals. |
| 4 | -k u l z | agrochemicals, ankles, bicycles, bifocals, biologicals, buckles, chemicals, chuckles, circles, crackles, cubicles, cycles, cyclicals, debacles, encyclicals, evangelicals, freckles, grackles, hackles, honeysuckles, icicles, knuckles, locals, mickles, motorcycles, musicals, nickels, Nickles, nicols, periodicals, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, physicals, Pickles, rankles, rascals, receptacles, recycles, runkles, shackles, shekels, sickles, sparkles, sprinkles, stickles, tackles, Technicals, testicles, tickles, trickles, twinkles, uncles, unicycles, vehicles, vocals, winkles, wrinkles. |
| 3 | -u l z | ables, accruals, acquittals, admirals, advertorials, ambles, angels, angles, animals, annals, annuals, apostles, apples, appraisals, approvals, archangels, arrivals, arsenals, artiodactyls, assembles, australs, axles, baffles, bagels, balmorals, barbels, barrels, battles, baubles, beadles, beagles, beetles, befuddles, belittles, betrayals, bibles, bindles, biomaterials, biphenyls, bisexuals, boggles, Boodles, boondoggles, bottles, bowels, brambles, bristles, brothels, bubbles, bugles, bundles, burials, bushels, cables, camels, cancels, candles, cannibals, capitals, capitols, capsules, cardinals, carnivals, carols, castles, casuals, cathedrals, cereals, channels, chisels, chorals, chortles, collectibles, colonels, colonials, commercials, compatibles, confessionals, constables, continentals, convertibles, corals, councils, counsels, counterproposals, couples, cradles, credentials, criminals, cripples, crumbles, crystals, cudgels, cymbals, dabbles, dangles, decibels, decimals, deductibles, deferrals, denials, dentals, devils, diagonals, dials, diesels, differentials, disables, disciples, dismantles, dismissals, disposables, disposals, doodles, doubles, dowels, duals, duels, durables, dwindles, eagles, edibles, editorials, embezzles, enables, enamels, ensembles, entitles, entrails, equals, essentials, evils, examples, extraterrestrials, fables, facials, faithfuls, federals, festivals, fiddles, finals, fizzles, flannels, foibles, fossils, fuels, fumbles, fundamentals, funerals, funnels, gables, gambles, generals, genitals, Gentles, giggles, goggles, Gospels, granules, grapples, gribbles, grumbles, gunnels, guzzles, handles, hassles, heterosexuals, hobbles, homosexuals, hopefuls, hospitals, hostels, hovels, huddles, humbles, hurdles, hustles, hymnals, idles, idols, illegals, immortals, imperils, imponderables, incidentals, individuals, industrials, infomercials, Ingles, initials, instrumentals, intangibles, intellectuals, internationals, intervals, invisibles, jewels, jingles, journals, juggles, jungles, juveniles, kennels, kernels, kestrels, kettles, kittles, labels, ladles, laurels, legals, lentils, levels, liberals, littles, madrigals, mammals, mangels, maniples, mantles, manuals, Maples, marbles, marshals, marvels, materials, measles, medals, memorials, metacarpals, metals, microfossils, minerals, mingles, minstrels, Miserables, missiles, mistrials, mobiles, models, moguls, mongols, morals, morsels, mortals, muddles, multinationals, multiples, Mumbles, municipals, murals, muscles, mussels, muzzles, myrtles, nationals, needles, neoliberals, nestles, nettles, neutrals, nibbles, nitriles, nobles, nondurables, nonprofessionals, noodles, nostrils, notables, novels, nozzles, numerals, observables, officials, ogles, oodles, Orientals, originals, paddles, panels, panfuls, parables, paralegals, parcels, payables, pebbles, pedals, peddles, pedestals, pencils, peoples, perennials, perils, peripherals, personals, petals, petrels, piddles, pimples, pineapples, pistols, pixels, poodles, portables, portals, portrayals, potentials, pretzels, principals, principles, professionals, projectiles, proposals, puddles, pupils, purples, puzzles, quarrels, quibbles, radials, raffles, rattles, rebels, rebuttals, receivables, recitals, rectangles, recyclables, referrals, refusals, regionals, rehearsals, removals, renewals, rentals, reprisals, resembles, residuals, revels, reversals, revivals, riddles, rifles, ripples, rituals, rivals, Robles, royals, rubles, ruffles, rumbles, runnels, sables, saddles, samples, sandals, scalpels, scandals, scoundrels, scrambles, scribbles, scruples, scuffles, semifinals, sentinels, sequels, serials, settles, shambles, shingles, shovels, shuffles, shuttles, signals, singles, skittles, sorrels, specials, spirals, spirituals, squabbles, squiggles, squirrels, stables, Staples, startles, stifles, straddles, struggles, stumbles, subprincipals, subtitles, supermodels, swindles, swivels, syllables, symbols, tables, tangibles, tangles, taxables, temples, terminals, testimonials, thistles, throttles, timetables, titles, tonsils, topples, totals, towels, tramples, transsexuals, travels, trials, triangles, tribunals, trifles, triples, troubles, truffles, tumbles, tunnels, turntables, turtles, tussles, tutorials, unravels, untouchables, upheavals, utensils, valuables, vandals, variables, varietals, vassals, vegetables, vessels, vials, vigils, visuals, vittles, vowels, waffles, wattles, weevils, whistles, withdrawals, wrangles, wrestles. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-c-c-e-e-l-p-s-s-t" | |
-1 letter: spectacle. | |
-2 letters: capelets, celestas, pectases, tapeless. | |
-3 letters: accepts, aspects, capelet, capless, caplets, castles, celesta, ectases, elapses, escapes, pastels, pectase, pesetas, pestles, placets, pleases, selects, staples, teasels. | |
-4 letters: accept, access, asleep, aspect, calces, caplet, castes, castle, ceases, cestas, clasps, claspt, clasts, cleats, clepes, easels, eclats, elapse, elates, elects, epacts, escape, etapes, lapses, leases, leasts, palest. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-c-c-e-e-l-p-s-s-t" | |
+4 letters: acceptableness, conceptualises, superspectacle. | |
+5 letters: complicatedness, practicableness, practicalnesses, superspectacles. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Slideshow 7. Images: Photo Album 8. Quotations: Familiar | 9. Quotations: Fiction 10. Quotations: Non-fiction 11. Usage Frequency 12. Expressions | 13. Expressions: Internet 14. Translations: Modern 15. Derivations 16. Rhymes | 17. Anagrams 18. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.