Re"bus (?), n.; pl. Rebuses (#). [L. rebus by things, abl. pl. of res a thing: cf. F. r'ebus. Cf. 3d things, abl. pl. of res a thing: cf. F. r'ebus. 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.
⇒ 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.
© Webster 1913.
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.
© Webster 1913. | 
