spectacle prepared display, object exhibited; (now usu. pl.) device for assisting defective eyesight. XIV. — (O)F. — L. spectāculum public show, spectators in a theatre, f. spectāre, frequent. f. specere look at.
So spectator onlooker. XVI. — F. or L. spectre, U.S. specter XVII. — F. spectre or L. spectrum (whence also spectrum spectre; coloured band into which a beam of light is decomposed. XVII; comb. form spectro-, as in spectroscope). speculate (-ATE2) †observe, consider XVI; engage in thought XVIII; engage in buying and selling for gain XVIII. f. pp. stem of L. speculārī spy out, watch, f. specula lookout, watch-tower. speculation, speculative XIV. — (O)F. or late L. speculum surgical instrument for examining XVI; mirror, reflector XVII. — L.

602. Spectacle

1. Aïda opera renowned for its scenic grandeur; sometimes played with on-stage elephants. [Ital. Opera: Verdi Aïda in Benét, 16]
2. Barnum and Bailey circus “greatest show on earth,” famed for outstanding displays. [Am. Culture: Collier’s, V, 110]
3. Birth of a Nation, The D. W. Griffith’s monumental Civil War film. [Am. Cinema: Halliwell, 51]
4. Ziegfeld Follies elaborate New York musical entertainment (1907–1931) with gorgeous settings and dancers. [Am. Theater: NCE, 3045]
5. Folies Bergère opulent musical show in Paris featuring dancers, rich costumes and scenery. [Fr. Theater: EB (1972 ed.), IX, 515]

Speed (See SWIFTNESS .)

spec·ta·cle / ˈspektəkəl/ • n. a visually striking performance or display: the acrobatic feats make a good spectacle | the show is pure spectacle. ∎  an event or scene regarded in terms of its visual impact: the spectacle of a city's mass grief. PHRASES: make a spectacle of oneself draw attention to oneself by behaving in a ridiculous way in public.

spectacle See SERPENTES.

spectacle •cackle, crackle, grackle, hackle, jackal, mackle, shackle, tackle •ankle, rankle •Gaskell, mascle, paschal •tabernacle • ramshackle •débâcle, diarchal, matriarchal, monarchal, patriarchal, sparkle •rascal •deckle, freckle, heckle, Jekyll, shekel, speckle •faecal (US fecal), treacle •chicle, fickle, mickle, nickel, pickle, prickle, sickle, strickle, tickle, trickle •besprinkle, crinkle, sprinkle, tinkle, twinkle, winkle, wrinkle •fiscal •laical, Pharisaical •vehicle • stoical • cubicle • radical •medical, paramedical •Druidical, juridical, veridical •syndical •methodical, periodical, rhapsodical, synodical •Talmudical • graphical • pontifical •magical, tragical •strategical •alogical, illogical, logical •dramaturgical, liturgical, metallurgical, surgical •anarchical, hierarchical, monarchical, oligarchical •psychical •angelical, evangelical, helical •umbilical • biblical • encyclical •diabolical, follicle, hyperbolical, symbolical •dynamical, hydrodynamical •academical, agrochemical, alchemical, biochemical, chemical, petrochemical, photochemical, polemical •inimical • rhythmical • seismical •agronomical, anatomical, astronomical, comical, economical, gastronomical, physiognomical •botanical, Brahmanical, mechanical, puritanical, sanicle, tyrannical •ecumenical •geotechnical, pyrotechnical, technical •clinical, cynical, dominical, finical, Jacobinical, pinnacle, rabbinical •canonical, chronicle, conical, ironical •tunicle • pumpernickel • vernicle •apical • epical •atypical, prototypical, stereotypical, typical •misanthropical, semi-tropical, subtropical, topical, tropical •theatrical •chimerical, clerical, hemispherical, hysterical, numerical, spherical •calendrical •asymmetrical, diametrical, geometrical, metrical, symmetrical, trimetrical •electrical • ventricle •empirical, lyrical, miracle, panegyrical, satirical •cylindrical •ahistorical, allegorical, categorical, historical, metaphorical, oratorical, phantasmagorical, rhetorical •auricle • rubrical • curricle •classical, fascicle, neoclassical •farcical • vesicle •indexical, lexical •commonsensical, nonsensical •bicycle, icicle, tricycle •paradoxical • Popsicle • versicle •anagrammatical, apostatical, emblematical, enigmatical, fanatical, grammatical, mathematical, piratical, prelatical, problematical, sabbatical •impractical, practical, syntactical, tactical •canticle •ecclesiastical, fantastical •article, particle •alphabetical, arithmetical, heretical, hypothetical, metathetical, metical, parenthetical, poetical, prophetical, reticle, synthetical, theoretical •dialectical •conventicle, identical •sceptical (US skeptical) • testicle •analytical, apolitical, critical, cryptanalytical, diacritical, eremitical, geopolitical, hypercritical, hypocritical, political, socio-political, subcritical •deistical, egoistical, logistical, mystical, papistical •optical, synoptical •aeronautical, nautical, vortical •cuticle, pharmaceutical, therapeutical •vertical • ethical • mythical • clavicle •periwinkle • lackadaisical •metaphysical, physical, quizzical •whimsical • musical •Carmichael, cervical, cycle, Michael •unicycle • monocycle • motorcycle •cockle, grockle •corncockle • snorkel •bifocal, focal, local, univocal, varifocal, vocal, yokel •archducal, coucal, ducal, pentateuchal •buckle, chuckle, knuckle, muckle, ruckle, suckle, truckle •peduncle, uncle •parbuckle • carbuncle • turnbuckle •pinochle • furuncle • honeysuckle •demoniacal, maniacal, megalomaniacal, paradisiacal, zodiacal •manacle • barnacle • cenacle •binnacle • monocle • epochal •reciprocal •coracle, oracle •spectacle •pentacle, tentacle •receptacle • obstacle • equivocal •circle, encircle •semicircle