Allusion

Allusion, or alluding, is a figure of speech that makes a reference to someone or something (a person, object, location, etc.) without mentioning it by name or without explaining how it relates to the given context, so that the audience must realize the connection in their own minds. When a connection is directly and explicitly explained (as opposed to indirectly implied), it is instead often simply termed a reference. In the arts, a literary allusion puts the alluded text in a new context under which it assumes new meanings and denotations. Literary allusion is closely related to parody and pastiche, which are also "text-linking" literary devices. In a wider, more informal context, an allusion is a passing or casual short statement indicating broader meaning. It is an incidental mention of something, either directly or by implication, such as "In the stock market, he met his Waterloo."