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. Also called parade ground. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Hence: Any imposing procession; the movement of any group of people marshaled in military order, especially a festive public procession, which may include a marching band, persons in varied costume, vehicles with elaborate displays, and other forms of entertainment, held in commemoration or celebration of an event or in honor of a person or persons; as, a parade of firemen; a Thanksgiving Day parade; a Memorial Day parade; a ticker-tape parade. [ PJC ]

In state returned the grand parade. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Hence: A pompous show; a formal or ostentatious display or exhibition. [ 1913 Webster ]

Be rich, but of your wealth make no parade. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Posture of defense; guard. [ A Gallicism. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

When they are not in parade, and upon their guard. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. A public walk; a promenade. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dress parade,
Undress parade. See under Dress, and Undress. --
Parade rest, a position of rest for soldiers, in which, however, they are required to be silent and motionless. Wilhelm. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Parading all her sensibility. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To assemble and form; to marshal; to cause to maneuver or march ceremoniously; as, to parade troops. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To make an exhibition or spectacle of one's self, as by walking in a public place. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To assemble in military order for evolutions and inspection; to form or march, as in review or in a public celebratory parade{ 3 }. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. One who walks with regular or stately step.
Syn. -- marcher. [ WordNet 1.5 ]