guising: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Regional/Historical/Informal
Quick answer
What does “guising” mean?
The activity, most common in Scotland and Northern England, of children dressing up in costume and visiting houses at Halloween to perform a short song, joke, or trick in exchange for sweets, fruit, or money.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The activity, most common in Scotland and Northern England, of children dressing up in costume and visiting houses at Halloween to perform a short song, joke, or trick in exchange for sweets, fruit, or money.
The act of disguising oneself, especially for festive or performance purposes. Can also refer more broadly to the Scottish/Scots-Irish tradition that evolved into modern American 'trick-or-treating'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, especially Scotland and Northern England, 'guising' is the traditional term for Halloween activities. In American English, the equivalent activity is almost exclusively called 'trick-or-treating'.
Connotations
In its native regions, it connotes a traditional, folkloric practice where a performance ('turn') is required for a reward. In American English, it would be recognized primarily as a historical/regional term.
Frequency
Very common in Scotland; low-to-rare frequency in general American English, where 'trick-or-treating' is dominant.
Grammar
How to Use “guising” in a Sentence
go guisingthe children were guisingguising at HalloweenVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “guising” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The children are planning to guise as zombies this Halloween.
- He guised himself as a pirate for the village festival.
American English
- (American usage would typically use 'dress up' or 'disguise' instead) They dressed up for trick-or-treating.
- He disguised himself to avoid recognition.
adverb
British English
- (Not standard as an adverb)
American English
- (Not standard as an adverb)
adjective
British English
- (Not standard as an adjective; use 'in disguise' or 'disguised')
American English
- (Not standard as an adjective; use 'in disguise' or 'disguised')
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Extremely rare; potentially in niche contexts like event planning or cultural tourism.
Academic
Used in cultural studies, folklore, anthropology, and historical texts discussing Halloween traditions.
Everyday
Common in everyday speech in Scotland and parts of Northern England around Halloween; otherwise rare.
Technical
Not applicable in technical fields.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “guising”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “guising”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “guising”
- Using 'guising' as a general synonym for 'wearing a costume' (it's a specific cultural practice).
- Pronouncing it with /z/ instead of the correct /s/ sound (it's /ˈɡaɪsɪŋ/, not */ˈɡaɪzɪŋ/).
- Confusing it with the verb 'to guise' (to disguise).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They describe very similar activities, but 'guising' traditionally implies the children must perform a song, joke, or trick (a 'turn') to earn their treat, whereas 'trick-or-treating' in its modern form often does not require this.
You can, but it will likely be marked as a British/Scottish regionalism or a historical term. Most Americans will simply say 'trick-or-treating'.
The 'turn' is the small performance a child gives in exchange for a treat. It can be a recited poem, a joke, a song, a magic trick, or playing a musical instrument.
While overwhelmingly associated with Halloween, historically, similar 'guising' customs existed for other festivals like Hogmanay (New Year) in Scotland, though this is now much less common.
The activity, most common in Scotland and Northern England, of children dressing up in costume and visiting houses at Halloween to perform a short song, joke, or trick in exchange for sweets, fruit, or money.
Guising is usually regional/historical/informal in register.
Guising: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɡaɪzɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɡaɪzɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[no specific idioms for the noun form; see verb 'guise']”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'GUISE' (a disguise). 'Guising' is the activity of being IN A GUISE, especially for Halloween fun.
Conceptual Metaphor
TRADITION IS A PERFORMANCE (requiring a 'turn' for a reward).
Practice
Quiz
In which country is the term 'guising' most commonly used to describe Halloween activities?