ENGLISH
REFERENCE

allude

v.
C1 Advanced US //əˈɫud// UK //ɐlˈuːd// al·lude

v. to mention something indirectly or to hint at it without saying it clearly. You use this when you want to talk about a topic without being direct.

v. to make an indirect or passing reference to something. Often used to hint at a sensitive or well-known subject without explicit mention.


SIMPLE

The author alludes to the king's secret in the first chapter.

CONTEXTUAL

The witness refused to answer the question directly but alluded to a conversation he had with the manager.

COMPLEX

While the poet never names the specific historical event, he alludes to its impact through the imagery of a city in ruins and a silenced crowd.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle French alluder, from Latin alludere (“to play with or allude”), from ad + ludere (“to play”).

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