allude

Pronunciation

• IPA: /əˈluːd/
• American: uh-LOOD

Origin

From Latin "alludere", meaning "to play with" or "to refer to", formed from "ad-" (to) + "ludere" (to play)

Meanings

1. To refer to something or someone indirectly
2. To make a casual or passing reference
3. To hint at something without mentioning it explicitly

Example Sentences

• The speaker alluded to recent scandals without naming specific incidents.
• In her poem, she alluded to Greek mythology.
• Without directly alluding to the problem, he suggested that changes were needed.

Related Words

• Forms:
  • alluded (past tense)
  • alluding (present participle)
  • alludes (third person singular)
• Noun form: allusion
• Adjective form: allusive
• Synonyms: hint, suggest, reference, imply, indicate

Memory Tricks

1. Think "A-LUDE" as "A-CLUE" - when you allude to something, you're giving a clue without directly stating it
2. Remember that "lude" sounds like "lead" - you're leading people to understand something without pointing directly to it
3. Think of it as "all" + "you'd" (shortened) - meaning all you'd say about something without being explicit