theatrical
part of speech
adjective (theatrical); noun (theatricals — plural)
meaning for a pupil
1) Theatrical means about the theatre, plays and acting: a theatrical company, theatrical costumes. tree →
2) Theatrical also means exaggerated and showy, as if acting for an audience: "He gave a theatrical sigh." tree →
3) (noun) Amateur theatricals are plays put on by ordinary people, not professional actors. tree →
sense in the lessons
In drama lessons it appears with stage, costumes, lighting and props. In stories and everyday life it describes someone who makes a big show of their feelings ("Don't be so theatrical!"). Phrases: "theatrical performance", "theatrical gesture", "theatrical makeup".
examples
- The school put on a theatrical show at Christmas. tree →
- She bowed in a very theatrical way. tree →
- My brother gave a theatrical groan when Mum said "homework". tree →
- The theatrical costumes were stored in the hall. tree →
- Don't be so theatrical; it's only a small scratch. tree →
- The theatrical company toured the country with their play. tree →
- Theatrical makeup has to be bright so the audience can see it. tree →
note
Adverb: theatrically. Spelling: theatre (UK) / theater (US), but "theatrical" is the same in both. The exaggerated sense is a bit critical.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «theatrical» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.