English Terms Week 1

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Analogy

Back 1

a similarity between like features of two things, on which a comparison may be based

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Anaphora

Back 2

repetition of a word or words at the beginning of two or more successive verses, clauses, or sentences.

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Denotation

Back 3

a word that names or signifies something specific

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Personification

Back 4

he attribution of a personal nature or character to inanimate objects or abstract notions

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Connotation

Back 5

the associated or secondary meaning of a word or expression in addition to its explicit or primary meaning

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Allusion

Back 6

a passing or casual reference; an incidental mention of something, either directly or by implication

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Euphemism

Back 7

the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt.

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Oxymoron

Back 8

a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect

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Tone

Back 9

a particular style or manner, as of writing or speech

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Diction

Back 10

style of speaking or writing as dependent upon choice of words

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Syntax

Back 11

the study of the rules for the formation of grammatical sentences in a language

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Colloquialism

Back 12

a word or phrase appropriate to conversation and other informal situations

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Genre

Back 13

a class or category of artistic endeavor having a particular form, content, technique, or the like

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Invective

Back 14

an insulting or abusive word or expression

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Didactic

Back 15

intended to instruct

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Paradox

Back 16

a statement that contradicts itself

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Apostrophe

Back 17

the punctuation mark ' used to indicate the omission of a letter or number

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Metonymy

Back 18

a figure of speech that consists of the use of the name of one object or concept for that of another to which it is related, or of which it is a part

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Symbol

Back 19

something used for or regarded as representing something else

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Aphorism

Back 20

a terse saying embodying a general truth, or astute observation

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Hyperbole

Back 21

obvious and intentional exaggeration

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Onomatopoeia

Back 22

the formation of a word, as cuckoo or boom, by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent

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Litotes

Back 23

understatement, esp. that in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of its contrary, as in “not bad at all.

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Parody

Back 24

a humorous or satirical imitation of a serious piece of literature or writing

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Ad hominem

Back 25

appealing to one's prejudices, emotions, or special interests rather than to one's intellect or reason

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Motif

Back 26

a recurring subject, theme, idea, etc., esp. in a literary, artistic, or musical work

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Imagery

Back 27

the formation of mental images, figures, or likenesses of things, or of such images collectively

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Pathos

Back 28

the quality or power in an actual life experience or in literature, music, speech, or other forms of expression, of evoking a feeling of pity or compassion

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Antithesis

Back 29

opposition; contrast

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Tautology

Back 30

needless repetition of an idea, esp. in words other than those of the immediate context, without imparting additional force or clearness, as in “widow woman.

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epiphany

Back 31

a literary work or section of a work presenting, usually symbolically, such a moment of revelation and insight

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syllepsis

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the use of a word or expression to perform two syntactic functions, esp. to modify two or more words of which at least one does not agree in number, case, or gender, as the use of are in Neither he nor we are willing.

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ellipsis

Back 33

omission of parts of a word or sentence

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alliteration

Back 34

The repetition of the beginning sounds of words

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metaphor

Back 35

something used, or regarded as being used, to represent something else

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conceit

Back 36

an elaborate image or far-fetched comparison

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understatement

Back 37

the act or an instance of stating something in restrained terms, or as less than it is

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chiasmus

Back 38

a reversal in the order of words in two otherwise parallel phrases, as in “He went to the country, to the town went she.

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allegory

Back 39

a representation of an abstract or spiritual meaning through concrete or material forms

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irony

Back 40

a technique of indicating, as through character or plot development, an intention or attitude opposite to that which is actually or ostensibly stated.

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non sequitur

Back 41

a statement containing an illogical conclusion

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syllogism

Back 42

a deductive inference of certain other forms with two premises; if P then Q; if Q then R; so if P then R

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satire

Back 43

the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, etc.

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sarcasm

Back 44

harsh or bitter derision or irony

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pedantic

Back 45

overly concerned with minute details or formalisms, esp. in teaching.

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style

Back 46

those components or features of a literary composition that have to do with the form of expression rather than the content of the thought expressed

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synecdoche

Back 47

a figure of speech in which a part is substituted for a whole or a whole for a part, as in 50 head of cattle for 50 cows, or the army for a soldier

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anecdote

Back 48

a short usually amusing account of an incident, esp a personal or biographical one