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| 4761010744 | abstract | Words or phrases denoting ideas, qualities, and conditions that exist but cannot be perceived by the senses. Some abstract terms are: love, happiness, beauty, and patriotism. The opposite abstract terms are concrete ones-- words that refer to things that are tangible, visible, or otherwise physically evident. | 0 | |
| 4761024770 | ad hominem argument | An argument that attacks the integrity or character of an opponent rather than the merits on an issue. It is also informally known as mudslinging. | 1 | |
| 4761029108 | ad verecundiam argument | This is appeal to authority. While sometimes it may be appropriate to cite an authority to support a point, but when the authority is not an expert in the field, then that person's opinion is not valid. When a baseball star promotes soup, we must ask why we should believe him or her. | 2 | |
| 4761038511 | ad populum argument | A fallacious argument that appeals to the passions and prejudices of a group rather than to its own reason. An appeal, for instance, to support an issue because it's "the American way" is an ad populem argument | 3 | |
| 4761045155 | allegory | The device of using character and/ or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning. The allegorical meaning usually deals with moral truth or a generalization about human existence. | 4 | |
| 4761056525 | alliteration | The repetition of initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words. The repetition can reinforce meaning, unify ideas and/or supply a musical sound. For example: Even though large traces of Europe have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo, we shall not flag or fail. | 5 | |
| 4761064467 | allusion | A reference to some famous literary work, historical event or figure, mythology, the Bible, or pop culture. | 6 | |
| 4761067392 | ambiguity | Doubtfulness or uncertainty of meaning or intention; an unclear, indefinite, or equivocal word, expression, meaning etc. | 7 | |
| 4761072761 | analogy | A comparison that attempts to explain on idea or thing by likening it to another. An analogy can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with or pointing out its similarity to something more familiar. Analogies can also make writing more vivid, imaginative, or intellectually engaging. (Also called duality) | 8 | |
| 4761082999 | anaphora | Repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses. For example: We shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the fields and in the streets. | 9 | |
| 4777528443 | antecedent | the word, phrase, or clause referred to by a noun | 10 | |
| 4777538555 | antimetabole | repetition of words in reverse order | 11 | |
| 4777546068 | antiphrasis | a figure of speech in which a single word issued in a sense directly opposite to its usual meaning, such as naming a giant "Tiny'. It is the briefest form of irony | 12 | |
| 4777564382 | antithesis | A contrast of or opposition, either rhetorical or philosophical. In rhetoric, any disposition of words that serves to emphasize a contrast or opposition of ideas, usually by the balancing of connected clauses with parallel grammatical constructions | 13 | |
| 4777590393 | aphorism | a concise statement or precept given in pointed words, An author who composes aphorisms is an aphorist. ("Three can keep a secret of two of them are dead."-Ben Franklin) | 14 | |
| 4777606693 | appeal to false authority | to draw on the authority of widely respected people, institutions, and texts. False authority occurs chiefly when writers offer themselves, or other authorities they cite, as sufficient warrant for believing a claim | 15 | |
| 4777624218 | archaic diction | old-fashioned or outdated choice of words | 16 | |
| 4777638478 | appositive | the placing of a noun next to noun or phrase that renames it | 17 | |
| 4777648320 | apostrophe | a figure of speech in which the speaker addresses a dead or absent person, or an abstraction, or inanimate object. ("Death, where is thy victory?") -G. Shaw | 18 | |
| 4777677201 | argumentation | argumentation is the writer's attempt to convince his reader to agree with him. It is based upon appeals to reason, evidence proving the argument, and sometimes emotion to persuade. Some arguments attempt merely to prove a point, but others go beyond proving to incite the reader to action. At the heart of all arguments lies a debatable issue. | 19 |
