fourth wall

American  

[fawrth wawl] / ˈfɔrθ ˈwɔl /

noun

1. the imaginary, invisible wall, as across the front of a stage, that separates the world constructed by a play, movie, television show, video game, or literary work from the actual world inhabited by the audience.

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idioms

1. break the fourth wall,  to violate the conventional separation between the world of a play, movie, television show, video game, or literary work and the world inhabited by the viewer.

   The actor’s periodic asides to the audience break the fourth wall and elicit much-needed laughs.

Etymology

Origin of fourth wall

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

“The breaking of the fourth wall has been great,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

You know the drill — characters doubly conscious of the scene they’re in and the camera that’s watching them, cutaway interviews commenting ironically on the story, a camera that catches odd events around the main action and a broken fourth wall that puts the viewer in the room.

From Los Angeles Times

Judges have a deep aversion to breaking the fourth wall and talking outside the four corners of a case or saying the emperor has no clothes.

From Slate

Mark Joseph Stern: She’s breaking the fourth wall, which is something judges do only in case of emergency.

From Slate

Infused by live music and inflected with hip-hop style poetry, “littleboy/littleman” crashes through the fourth wall to make direct contact with theatergoers, who are seated on three sides of the playing area and always just a high-five away.

From Los Angeles Times