Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Rebus"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Rebus \Re"bus\, v. t.
To mark or indicate by a rebus.
He [John Morton] had a fair library rebused with More
in text and Tun under it. --Fuller.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Rebus \Re"bus\, n.; pl. {Rebuses}. [L. rebus by things, abl. pl.
of res a thing: cf. F. r['e]bus. Cf. 3d things, abl. pl. of
res a thing: cf. F. r['e]bus. Cf. 3d {Real}.]
1. A mode of expressing words and phrases by pictures of
objects whose names resemble those words, or the syllables
of which they are composed; enigmatical representation of
words by figures; hence, a peculiar form of riddle made up
of such representations.
Note: A gallant, in love with a woman named Rose Hill, had,
embroidered on his gown, a rose, a hill, an eye, a
loaf, and a well, signifying, Rose Hill I love well.
2. (Her.) A pictorial suggestion on a coat of arms of the
name of the person to whom it belongs. See {Canting arms},
under {Canting}.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
rebus
n : a puzzle where you decode a message consisting of pictures
representing syllables and words
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