beauty parade

Meanings

1. 1nouncountablebusinessinformal

   A process in which several companies present themselves to a client one after another so that the client can choose one.

   Grammar: Usually used with a: hold a beauty parade.

   Patterns

   • a beauty parade of something
   • hold a beauty parade

   The council held a beauty parade of design firms before choosing one.

   Three agencies took part in the beauty parade for the advertising contract.

   After the beauty parade, the bank hired the smallest firm.

2. 2nouncountableold-fashioned

   A contest in which people are judged on their looks.

   Grammar: An older term: a beauty parade in the town hall.

   Patterns

   • a beauty parade for someone

   The town held a beauty parade every summer in the 1950s.

   Many people now find a beauty parade outdated.

   She entered a beauty parade as a teenager.

Word forms

Common combinations

hold a beauty parade

The company will hold a beauty parade next month.

take part in a beauty parade

Four firms took part in the beauty parade.

win a beauty parade

Her team won the beauty parade easily.

beauty parade of bidders

The beauty parade of bidders lasted two days.

lawyers' beauty parade

The lawyers' beauty parade impressed the board.

Synonyms and how they differ

pitch

Pitch is a single presentation to win business, while a beauty parade is the whole process with several rivals.

competitive tender

A competitive tender is a formal written bid process, whereas a beauty parade is a live presentation.

beauty contest

Beauty contest is the usual term when people are judged on looks, so it is clearer than beauty parade.

Word family

beauty noun

the quality of being very attractive

beautiful adjective

very attractive

parade noun

a public procession

parade verb

to walk or display something in public

Commonly confused: beauty parade or beauty pageant?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “beauty parade”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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