Pa*rade" (?), n. [F., fr. Sp. parada a halt or stopping, an assembling for exercise, a place where troops are assembled to exercise, fr. parar to stop, to prepare. See Pare, v. t.] 1. The ground where a military display is held, or where troops are drilled.

2. (Mil.) An assembly and orderly arrangement or display of troops, in full equipments, for inspection or evolutions before some superior officer; a review of troops. Parades are general, regimental, or private (troop, battery, or company), according to the force assembled.

3. Pompous show; formal display or exhibition.

Be rich, but of your wealth make no parade.

4. That which is displayed; a show; a spectacle; an imposing procession; the movement of any body marshaled in military order; as, a parade of firemen.

In state returned the grand parade.

5. Posture of defense; guard. [A Gallicism.]

When they are not in parade, and upon their guard.

6. A public walk; a promenade.

Syn. -- Ostentation; display; show. -- Parade, Ostentation. Parade is a pompous exhibition of things for the purpose of display; ostentation now generally indicates a parade of virtues or other qualities for which one expects to be honored. "It was not in the mere parade of royalty that the Mexican potentates exhibited their power." Robertson. "We are dazzled with the splendor of titles, the ostentation of learning, and the noise of victories." Spectator.

Pa*rade" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Paraded; p. pr. & vb. n. Parading.] [Cf. F. parader.] 1. To exhibit in a showy or ostentatious manner; to show off.

Parading all her sensibility.

2. To assemble and form; to marshal; to cause to maneuver or march ceremoniously; as, to parade troops.

Pa*rade", v. i. 1. To make an exhibition or spectacle of one's self, as by walking in a public place.

2. To assemble in military order for evolutions and inspection; to form or march, as in review.

• An organized procession consisting of a series of consecutive displays, performances, exhibits, etc. displayed by moving down a street past a crowd.
       The floats and horses in the parade were impressive, but the marching bands were really amazing.
  
• Any succession, series, or display of items.
       The dinner was a parade of courses, each featuring foods more elaborate than the last.
  
• To march or to display
       They paraded around the field, simply to show their discipline.
  
• To display or show
       They paraded dozens of fashions past the crowd.
  
• To march past
       After the field show, it is customary to parade the stands before exiting the field.