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| 6734377669 | abstract | (n.) an abbreviated synopsis of a longer work of scholarship or research; (adj.) dealing with or tending to deal with a subject apart from a particular or specific instance | 0 | |
| 6734390008 | ad hominem | "against the man" - directed to or appealing to feelings or prejudices instead of to intellect or reason | 1 | |
| 6734395604 | adage | a saying or proverb containing a truth based on experience and often couched in metaphorical language - Example: "There is more than one way to skin a cat." | 2 | |
| 6734422655 | allegory | a story in which a second meaning is to be read beneath the surface | 3 | |
| 6734426779 | alliteration | the repetition of one or more initial consonants in a group of words or lines in a poem or prose | 4 | |
| 6734432827 | allusion | a reference to a person, place, or event meant to create an effect or enhance the meaning of an idea | 5 | |
| 6734440958 | ambiguity | a vagueness of meaning; a conscious lack of clarity meant to evoke multiple meanings or interpretations | 6 | |
| 6734454406 | anachronism | a person, scene, event, or other element that fails to correspond with the appropriate time or era. Example: Columbus sailing to the United States. | 7 | |
| 6734464201 | analogy | a comparison that points out similarities between two dissimilar things; a passage that points out several similarities between two unlike things is called an extended ____________________ | 8 | |
| 6734471355 | anecdote | a brief narrative often used to illustrate an idea or make a point | 9 | |
| 6734474474 | annotation | a brief explanation, summary, or evaluation of a text or work of literature | 10 | |
| 6734478793 | antagonist | a character or force in a work of literature that, by opposing the protagonist, produces tension or conflict | 11 | |
| 6734484623 | antecedent | a word to which a pronoun refers | 12 | |
| 6734486945 | antithesis | a rhetorical opposition or contrast of ideas by means of a grammatical arrangement of words, clauses, or sentences, as in the following: "They promised freedom but provided slavery." "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." | 13 | |
| 6734502693 | aphorism | a shorty, pithy statement of a generally accepted truth or sentiment. Also see adage and maxim. | 14 | |
| 6734511279 | Apollonian | in contrast to Dionysian, it refers to the most noble, godlike qualities of human nature and behavior | 15 | |
| 6734518477 | apostrophe | a locution that addresses a person or personified thing not present. Example: "Oh, you cruel streets of Manhattan, how I detest you!" | 16 | |
| 6734526817 | arch | (adj) characterized by clever or sly humor, often saucy, playful, and somewhat irreverent | 17 | |
| 6734531350 | archetype | an abstract or ideal conception of a type, a perfectly typical example; an original model or form | 18 | |
| 6734536577 | assonance | the repetition of two or more vowel sounds in a group of words in prose or poetry | 19 | |
| 6734561208 | Ad populum | "to the people" - playing on the prejudices of the audience | 20 | |
| 6734571058 | appeal to tradition | a proposal that something should continue because it has traditionally existed or been done that way | 21 | |
| 6734575868 | argument | a process of reasoning and advancing proof about issues on which conflicting views may be held; also, a statement or statements providing support for a claim | 22 | |
| 6734585244 | audience | those who will hear an argument; more generally, those to whom a communication is addressed | 23 | |
| 6734597654 | authority | a respectable, reliable source of evidence | 24 | |
| 6734600972 | backing | the assurance upon which a warrant or assumption is based | 25 | |
| 6734609255 | bard | a poet; in olden times, a performer who told heroic stories to musical accompaniment | 26 | |
| 6734612893 | bathos | insincere or overdone sentimentality | 27 | |
| 6734620847 | bibliography | a list of works cited or otherwise relevant to a particular subject | 28 | |
| 6734623680 | bombast | inflated, pretentious language | 29 | |
| 6734627847 | burlesque | a work of literature meant to ridicule a subject; a grotesque imitation | 30 | |
| 6734643039 | begging the question | making a statement that assumes that the issue being argued has already been decided | 31 | |
| 6734707506 | cacophony | grating, inharmonious sounds | 32 | |
| 6734709934 | canon | the works considered most important in a national literature or period; works widely read and studied | 33 | |
| 6734713613 | caricature | a grotesque or exaggerated likeness of striking qualities in persons and things | 34 | |
| 6734718215 | carpe diem | literally, "seize the day"; "enjoy life while you can," a common theme in life and literature | 35 | |
| 6734727522 | circumlocution | literally, "talking around" a subject; i.e., discourse that avoids direct reference to a subject | 36 | |
| 6734734434 | classic | a highly regarded work of literature or other art form that has withstood the test of time | 37 | |
| 6734738355 | classical, classicism | deriving from the orderly qualities of ancient Greek and Roman culture; impress formality, objectivity, simplicity, and restraint | 38 | |
| 6734749484 | clause | generally, a structural element of a sentence, consisting of a grammatical subject and a predicate | 39 | |
| 6734753545 | independent clause / main clause | a clause that can stand on its own as a complete sentence | 40 | |
| 6734758195 | dependent clause / subordinate clause | a clause which is used as a noun or modifier and is an incomplete sentence, cannot stand alone grammatically; those that function as adjectives, nouns, or adverbs are known, respectively, as adjective, noun, and adverbial clauses | 41 | |
| 6734774128 | climax | the high point, or turning point, of a story or play | 42 | |
| 6734777905 | comparison and contrast | a mode of discourse in which two or more things are compared and contrasted. | 43 | |
| 6734782468 | conceit | a witty or ingenious thought; a diverting or highly fanciful idea, often stated in figurative language | 44 | |
| 6734794988 | concerete detail | a highly specific, particular, often real, actual, or tangible detail; the opposite of abstract | 45 | |
| 6734799893 | connotation | the suggested or implied meaning of a word or phrase. contrast with denotation | 46 | |
| 6734806639 | consonance | the repetition of two or more consonant sounds in a group of words or a unit of speech or writing |  | 47 |
| 6735714813 | critique | an analysis or assessment of a thing or situation for the purpose of determining its nature, limitations, and conformity to a set of standards | 48 | |
| 6735720852 | cynic | one who expects and observes nothing but the worse of human conduct | 49 | |
| 6735725335 | deduction | reasoning by which we establish that a conclusion must be true because the statements on which it is based are true | 50 | |
| 6735735341 | denotation | the dictionary definition of a word. contrast with connotation | 51 | |
| 6735738446 | denouement | the resolution that occurs at the end of a narrative or drama, real or imagined | 52 | |
| 6735742783 | descriptive detail | graphic, exact, and accurate presentation of the characteristics of a person, place, or thing | 53 | |
| 6735806659 | deus ex machina | in literature, the use of an artificial device or gimmick to solve a problem | 54 | |
| 6735809174 | diction | the choice of words in oral and written discourse | 55 | |
| 6735812765 | didactic | having an instructive purpose; intending to convey information or teach a lesson, usually in a dry, pompous manner | 56 | |
| 6735816344 | digression | that portion of discourse that wanders or departs from the main subject or topic | 57 | |
| 6735820933 | Dionysian | As distinguished from Apollonian, the word refers to sensual, pleasure-seeking impulses | 58 | |
| 6735832716 | dramatic irony | a circumstance in which the audience or reader knows more about a situation than a character | 59 | |
| 6735845933 | cause and effect | reasoning that assumes one event or condition can bring about another | 60 | |
| 6735847627 | claim | the conclusion of an argument; what the arguer is trying to prove | 61 | |
| 6735850877 | claim of fact | a claim that asserts something exists, has existed, or will exist, based on data that the audience will accept as objectively verifiable | 62 | |
| 6735858936 | claim of policy | a claim asserting that specific courses of action should be instituted as solutions to problems | 63 | |
| 6735869854 | claim of value | a claim that asserts some things are more or less desirable than others | 64 | |
| 6735892334 | credibility | the audience's belief in the arguer's trustworthiness; see also ethos | 65 | |
| 6735920911 | definition | an explanation of the meaning of a term, concept, or experience; may be used for clarification, especially of a claim, or as a means of developing an argument | 66 | |
| 6735927504 | definition by negation | defining a thing by saying what it is not | 67 | |
| 6735936126 | elegy | a poem or prose selection that laments or meditates on the passing or death of someone or something of value. | 68 | |
| 6735943363 | ellipsis | three periods (...) indicating the omission of words in a though or quotation | 69 | |
| 6735952079 | empathy | a feeling of association or identification with an object or person | 70 | |
| 6735954557 | epic | a narrative poem that tells of the adventures and exploits of a hero | 71 | |
| 6735958148 | epigram | a concise but ingenious, witty, and thoughtful statement | 72 | |
| 6735961913 | epithet | an adjective or phrase that expresses a striking quality of a person or thing; "sun-bright topaz," "sun-lit lake," and "sun-bright lake" are examples. Can also be used to apply to vulgar or profane exclamations. | 73 | |
| 6735994566 | eponymous | a term for the title character of a work of literature | 74 | |
| 6736095188 | ethos | a speaker or author's authority to express opinions on a subject. The __________________ of a professional wrestler, for instance, to speak credibly about, say, philosophy or metaphysics, is questionable. | 75 | |
| 6736130005 | euphemism | a mild of less negative usage for a harsh or blunt term. Example: "pass away" is a euphemism for "die." | 76 | |
| 6736138031 | exegesis | a detailed analysis or interpretation of a work of prose or poetry | 77 | |
| 6736141518 | expose | a factual piece of writing that reveals weaknesses, faults, frailties, or other shortcomings | 78 | |
| 6736152369 | exposition | the background and events that lead to the presentation of the main idea or purpose of an essay or other work; setting forth the meaning or purpose of a piece of writing or discourse | 79 | |
| 6736159834 | extended metaphor | a series of comparisons between two unlike objects | 80 | |
| 6736181881 | evidence | facts or opinions that support an issue or claim; may consist of statistics, reports of personal experience, or views of experts | 81 | |
| 6737213882 | fable | a short tale, often with nonhuman characters, from which a useful lesson or moral can be drawn | 82 | |
| 6737220693 | fallacy, fallacious reasoning | an incorrect belief or superstition based on faulty data, defective evidence, false information, or flawed logic | 83 | |
| 6737228587 | farce | a comedy that contains an extravagant and nonsensical disregard of seriousness, although it may have a serious, scornful purpose | 84 | |
| 6737240803 | figurative language | has implied meaning - includes metaphor, simile, and personification | 85 | |
| 6737248455 | frame | a structure that provides a premise or setting for a narrative or other discourse | 86 | |
| 6737255967 | fact | something that is believed to have objective reality, a piece of information regarded as verifiable | 87 | |
| 6737261685 | factual evidence | support consisting of data that is considered objectively verifiable by the audience | 88 | |
| 6737268265 | false analogy | assuming without sufficient proof that if objects or processes are similar in some ways, then they are similar in other ways as well | 89 | |
| 6737275516 | false dilemma | simplifying a complex problem into an either/or dichotomy | 90 | |
| 6737286137 | faulty emotional appeals | basing an argument on feelings, especially pity or fear - often to draw attention away from the real issues or conceal another purpose | 91 | |
| 6737293160 | generalization | a statement of general principle derived inferentially from a series of examples | 92 | |
| 6737297123 | genre | a term used to describe literary forms, such as a novel, play, and essay | 93 | |
| 6737302764 | harangue | a forceful sermon, lecture, or tirade | 94 | |
| 6737305233 | homily | a lecture or sermon on a religious or moral theme meant to guide human behavior | 95 | |
| 6737309086 | hubris | excessive pride that often affects tone | 96 | |
| 6737312105 | humanism | a belief that emphasizes faith and optimism in human potential and creativity | 97 | |
| 6737315341 | hyperbole | overstatement; gross exaggeration for rhetorical effect | 98 | |
| 6737323041 | hasty generalization | drawing conclusions from insufficient evidence | 99 | |
| 6737326162 | induction | reasoning by which a general statement is reached on the basis of particular examples | 100 | |
| 6737329598 | inference | an interpretation of the facts | 101 | |
| 6737339129 | image | a word or phrase representing that which can be seen, touched, tasted, smelled, or felt; | 102 | |
| 6737344985 | indirect quotation | a rendering of a quotation in which actual words are not stated but only approximated or paraphrased | 103 | |
| 6737353513 | invective | a direct verbal assault; casting blame on someone or something | 104 | |
| 6737358159 | irony | a mode of expression in which the intended meaning is the opposite of what is stated, often implying ridicule or light sarcasm; a state of affairs or events that is the reverse of what might have been expected | 105 | |
| 6737363987 | lampoon | a mocking, satirical assault on a person or situation | 106 | |
| 6737366474 | litotes | a form of understatement in which the negative of the contrary is used to achieve emphasis or intensity. Example - "He is not a bad dancer." | 107 | |
| 6737378870 | loose sentence | a sentence that follows the customary word order of English sentences, i.e. subject-verb-object. The main idea of the sentence is presented first and then is followed by one or more subordinate clauses. | 108 | |
| 6737388656 | lyrical prose | personal, reflective prose that reveals the speaker's thoughts and feelings about the subject | 109 | |
| 6737399878 | logos | the logic used by a speaker or writer to support a claim or point of view | 110 | |
| 6737425072 | malapropism | a confused use of words in which the appropriate word is replaced by one with a similar sound but inappropriate meaning | 111 | |
| 6737448823 | melodrama | a literary form in which events are exaggerated in order to create an extreme emotional response | 112 | |
| 6737453419 | metaphor | a figure of speech in that compares unlike objects | 113 | |
| 6737458827 | metonymy | a figure of speech that uses the name of one thing to represent something else with which it is associated. Example, "The White house says..." | 114 | |
| 6737466517 | mode | the general form, pattern, and manner of expression of a piece of discourse | 115 | |
| 6737475125 | montage | a quick succession of images or impressions used to express an idea | 116 | |
| 6737478744 | mood | the emotional tone or prevailing atmosphere in a work of literature to other discourse | 117 | |
| 6737484691 | motif | a phrase, idea, or event that through repetition serves to unify or convey a theme in an essay or other discourse | 118 | |
| 6737499425 | non sequitur | "it does not follow"; using irrelevant proof to buttress a claim | 119 | |
| 6737516812 | objective | (adj) of or relating to facts or reality, as opposed to private and personal feelings and attitudes. Its opposite is subjective. | 120 | |
| 6737528038 | oxymoron | a term consisting of contradictory elements juxtaposed to create a paradoxical effect. Examples - "jumbo shrimp," "loud silence" | 121 | |
| 6737794010 | paradox | a statement that seems self-contradictory but is nevertheless true | 122 | |
| 6737799284 | parallel structure (or parallelism) | the structure required for expressing two or more grammatical elements of equal rank. For example, "Colleges favor applicants with good academic records, varied interests, and excellent hair." | 123 | |
| 6737831603 | paraphrase | a version of a text put into simpler, everyday words or summarized for brevity | 124 | |
| 6737836216 | parody | an imitation of a work meant to ridicule its style and subject | 125 | |
| 6737881419 | pathos | the emotional appeal used to persuade an audience to accept a certain point of view or opinion | 126 | |
| 6737889542 | pedantic | narrowly academic instead of broad and humane; excessively petty and meticulous | 127 | |
| 6737900660 | periodic sentence | a sentence that departs from the usual word order of English sentences by expressing its main thought only at the end. In other words, the particulars in the sentence are presented before the idea they support. | 128 | |
| 6737914197 | personification | a figure of speech in which objects and animals are given human characteristics | 129 | |
| 6737916571 | point of view | the relation in which a narrator or speaker stands to a subject of discourse | 130 | |
| 6737921640 | predicate | the part of a sentence that is not the grammatical subject. It often says something about the subject. A noun that provides another name for the subject is called a _____________ nominative. An adjective that describes the subject is called a _____________ adjective. | 131 | |
| 6737946346 | pseudonym | a false name or alias used by writers | 132 | |
| 6737948701 | pun | a humorous play on words, using similar-sounding or identical words to suggest different meanings | 133 | |
| 6737956680 | qualifier | a restriction placed on the claim to state that it may not always be true as stated | 134 | |
| 6737966634 | rebuttal/refutation | the part of discourse wherein opposing arguments are anticipating and answered | 135 | |
| 6737969196 | reiteration | repetition of an idea using different words, phrases, or ideas for rhetorical effects, usually to emphasize a point | 136 | |
| 6737979442 | rhetoric | the language of a work and its style; words, often highly emotional, used to convince or sway an audience | 137 | |
| 6737993946 | rhetorical mode | A general term that identifies discourse according to its chief purpose. Modes include exposition (to explain, analyze, or discuss an idea), argumentation (to prove a point or to persuade), description (to recreate or present with details), and narration (to relate an anecdote or story) | 138 | |
| 6738011353 | rhetorical question | a question to which the audience already knows the answer; a question asked merely for effect with no answer expected | 139 | |
| 6738057391 | slippery slope | predicting without justification that one step in a process will lead unavoidably to a second, generally undesirable step | 140 | |
| 6738062086 | slogan | an attention-getting expression used to largely in politics or advertising to promote support of a cause or product | 141 | |
| 6738071340 | straw man | disputing views similar to, but not the same as, that of the arguer's opponent | 142 | |
| 6738074236 | style | choices in words and sentence structure that make a writer's language distinctive | 143 | |
| 6738078265 | support | any material that serves to prove an issue or claim | 144 | |
| 6738083163 | syllogism | a formula of deductive argument consisting of three propositions: a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion | 145 | |
| 6738094975 | sarcasm | a sharp, caustic attitude conveyed in words through jibes, taunts, or other remarks; it differs from irony, which is more subtle | 146 | |
| 6738101678 | satire | a literary style used to poke fun at, attack, or ridicule an idea, vice, or foible, often for the purpose of inducing change | 147 | |
| 6738111207 | sentimental | a term that describes characters' excessive emotional response to experience | 148 | |
| 6738115130 | simile | a figurative comparison using words "like" or "as" | 149 | |
| 6738118643 | stream of consciousness | a style of writing in which the author tries to reproduce the random flow of thoughts in the human mind | 150 | |
| 6738130759 | stylistic devices | a general term referring to diction, syntax, tone, figurative language, and all other elements that contribute to the "style" or manner of a given piece of discourse. | 151 | |
| 6738139828 | synecdoche | a figure of speech in which a part signifies the whole ("fifty masts" for fifty ships) or the whole signifies the part ("days" for life) | 152 | |
| 6738151320 | syntax | the organization of language into meaningful structure | 153 | |
| 6738156256 | theme | the main idea or meaning, often an abstract idea upon which an essay or other form of discourse is built | 154 | |
| 6738161521 | thesis | the main idea of a piece of discourse the statement or proposition that a speaker or writer wishes to advance, illustrate, prove, or defend | 155 | |
| 6738169618 | tone | the author's attitude toward the subject being written about (the pervading emotion) | 156 | |
| 6738176689 | transition | the link between ideas | 157 | |
| 6738179722 | verbal irony | a discrepancy between the true meaning of a situation and the literal meaning of the written or spoken words | 158 | |
| 6738183316 | verisimilitude | the quality of realism in a work that persuades readers that they are getting a vision of life as it is or could have been | 159 |
