kaleidoscope UK /kəˈlaɪ.dəˌskəʊp/US /kəˈlaɪ.dəˌskoʊp/noun 3verb 1forms 3 noun3 •An instrument consisting of a tube containing mirrors and loose, colourful beads or other objects; when the tube is looked into and rotated, a succession of symmetrical designs can be seen.He closed his eyes and his thoughts pursued his imagination through a series of carefully constructed scenes as if he was watching the tumbling chips of coloured glass in a kaleidoscope. — 1953 •(figurative) A constantly changing series of colours or other things.[T]his rainbow look'd like hope— / Quite a celestial kaleidoscope. — 1819 •A swarm of butterflies.Jackasses shrieked in the forest, cockatoos busied themselves with their nests and a kaleidoscope of butterflies flitted among the fragrant shrubs and trees. — 2006 verb1 •To move in shifting (and often attractive or colourful) patterns. formskaleidoscoped · kaleidoscoping · kaleidoscopes
