Terms : Hide Images
| 2680557000 | allegory | a story in which the narrative/characters carry an underlying symbolic, metaphorical or possibly an ethical meaning ex: Piggy's glasses symbolize knowledge. | 0 | |
| 2680708035 | alliteration | the repetition of one or more initial consonant in a group of words or lines of poetry or prose. writers use this for ornament or for emphasis ex: how many hair styles can harry styles style? |  | 1 |
| 2680708036 | allusion | a reference to a person, place, or event meant to create an effect or enhance the meaning of an idea ex: chocolate is her Achilles' heel (weakness) | 2 | |
| 2680709253 | ambiguity | a vagueness of meaning; a conscious lack of clarity meant to evoke multiple meanings and interpretation | 3 | |
| 2680709254 | analogy | A comparison, usually involving two or more symbolic parts, employed to clarify an action or a relationship. a comparison that points out similarities between two dissimilar things | 4 | |
| 2680709754 | antecedent | The word, phrase, or clause that determines what a pronoun refers to. | 5 | |
| 2680709755 | antithesis | a rhetorical opposition or contrast of ideas by means of a grammatical arrangement of words, clauses, or sentences | 6 | |
| 2680710380 | aphorism | a short, pithy statement of a generally accepted truth or sentiment | 7 | |
| 2680736081 | apostrophe (not the grammar term) | a locution that addresses a person/personified thing not present A writer or a speaker, using an apostrophe, detaches himself from the reality and addresses an imaginary character in his speech. | 8 | |
| 2680736082 | atmosphere | The emotional tone or background that surrounds a scene | 9 | |
| 2680736636 | antagonist | a character or force in a work of literature that, by opposing the protagonist produces tension or conflict | 10 | |
| 2680736637 | archetype | an abstract or ideal conception of a type; a perfectly typical example; an original model/form In literature, an archetype is a typical character, an action or a situation that seems to represent such universal patterns of human nature. An archetype, also known as universal symbol, may be a character, a theme, a symbol or even a setting | 11 | |
| 2680736638 | ballad | a simple narrative verse that tells a story that is sung or recited; a long narrative poem, usually in very regular meter and rhyme, typically has a naive folksy quality | 12 | |
| 2680736989 | blank verse | poetry written in iambic pentameter, the primary meter used in English poetry and the works of Shakespeare and Milton. its lines generally do not rhyme | 13 | |
| 2680736990 | caricature | a grotesque likeness of striking qualities in persons and things; a portrait that exaggerates a facet of personality particular aspects of a subject are exaggerated to create a silly or comic effect. In other words, it can be defined as a plastic illustration, derisive drawing or a portrayal based on exaggeration of the natural features, which gives a humorous touch to the subject. | 14 | |
| 2680736991 | clause | group of related words containing a subject and a verb That I sold him When the president arrives What she anticipated What the girl did was not very helpful. | 15 | |
| 2680738071 | cliche | cliché refers to an expression that has been overused to the extent that it loses its original meaning or novelty. A cliché may also refer to actions and events which are predictable because of some previous events. frightened to death - to be too frightened They all lived happily ever after. | 16 | |
| 2680738611 | colloquial/colloquialism | used in ordinary or familiar conversation; not formal or literary. In literature, colloquialism is the use of informal words, phrases or even slang in a piece of writing. gonna - going to | 17 | |
| 2680738612 | conceit | a witty or ingenious thought; a diverting or highly fanciful idea, often stated in figurative language; a startling or unusual metaphor, or a metaphor developed and expanded upon several lines | 18 | |
| 2680819422 | characterization | direct- tells the audience what the personality of the character is. indirect- when the narrator shows the reader something about the character through the character's actions, things the character says, or things other characters say | 19 | |
| 2680820173 | connotation | Connotation refers to a meaning that is implied by a word apart from the thing which it describes explicitly. Words carry cultural and emotional associations or meanings in addition to their literal meanings or denotations. A dove implies peace or gentility. | 20 | |
| 2680820174 | denotation | literal or dictionary meanings of a word in contrast to its connotative or associated meanings. | 21 | |
| 2680820993 | conflict | direct- struggle that occurs between a character and outside forces, which could be another character or the environment. indirect- mental or emotional struggle that occurs within a character | 22 | |
| 2680821012 | diction | style of speaking or writing determined by the choice of words by a speaker or a writer. | 23 | |
| 2680821686 | didactic | intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive. "a didactic novel that set out to expose social injustice" | 24 | |
| 2680821687 | euphemism | polite, indirect expressions which replace words and phrases considered harsh and impolite or which suggest something unpleasant. He is a special child (disabled or retarded). | 25 | |
| 2680822692 | extended metaphor | a series of comparisons between two unlike objects that occur over a number of lines | 26 | |
| 2680823334 | figurative language | in contrast to literal language, this implies meanings. It includes devices such as metaphors, similes, and personification, etc. | 27 | |
| 2680907692 | figure of speech | a word or phrase used in a nonliteral sense to add rhetorical force to a spoken or written passage. | 28 | |
| 2680908450 | genre | type of art, literature or music characterized by a specific form, content and style. For example, literature has four main genres; poetry, drama, fiction and non-fiction. | 29 | |
| 2680908451 | homily | literally "sermon", or any serious talk, speech, or lecture providing moral or spiritual advice | 30 | |
| 2680908452 | hyperbole | a figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement Your suitcase weighs a ton! | 31 | |
| 2680909227 | imagery | use figurative language or sensory details to represent objects, actions and ideas in such a way that it appeals to our physical senses. The girl ran her hands on a soft satin fabric. - The idea of "soft" in this example appeals to our sense of touch or tactile sense. | 32 | |
| 2680909228 | inference/infer | to draw a reasonable conclusion from the informaion presented | 33 | |
| 2680909966 | invective | an emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language |  | 34 |
| 2680911358 | irony/ironic | the contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant verbal irony - words literally state the opposite of speaker's true meaning situational irony - events turn out the opposite of what was expected dramatic irony - facts or events are unknown to a character but known to the reader or audience or other characters in work | 35 | |
| 2680969428 | litotes | a form of understatement in which the negative of the contrary is used to achieve emphasis or intensity | 36 | |
| 2680969429 | juxtaposition | 37 | ||
| 2680970705 | loose sentence/non-periodic | a type of sentence in which the main idea comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units I went to the movies yesterday, bought candy, and shopped at the mall. | 38 | |
| 2680970706 | metaphor | a figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity The assignment was a breeze. | 39 | |
| 2680970707 | meter | the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables found in poetry iambic meter (unstressed/stressed), trochaic meter (stressed/unstressed), spondaic meter, (stressed/stressed) anapestic meter (unstressed/unstressed/ stressed) and dactylic meter (stressed/unstressed/unstressed). | 40 | |
| 2681180402 | metonymy | from the Greek "changed label", the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it (eg "the White House" for the President) Let me give you a hand. (Hand means help.) | 41 | |
| 2681180403 | mood | grammatically, the verbal units and a speaker's attitude (indicative, subjunctive, imperative); literarily, the prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a word It can be developed through setting, theme, tone and diction. | 42 | |
| 2681183026 | motif | an object or idea that repeats itself throughout a literary work. | 43 | |
| 2681183027 | narrative | a form of verse or prose that tells a story; report of related events presented to the listeners or readers in words arranged in a logical sequence. | 44 | |
| 2681183038 | onomatopoeia | words that sound like what they mean Oink Boom Clap Zap! | 45 | |
| 2681183683 | oxymoron | a phrase composed of opposites; a contradiction. juxtaposition of contradictory element to create a paradoxical effect Awfully pretty Tragic comedy | 46 | |
| 2681184390 | paradox | a statement that seems self-contradictory yet true Wise fool | 47 | |
| 2681184391 | parallelism | repeated syntactical similarities used for effect; use of components in a sentence that are grammatically the same; or similar in their construction, sound, meaning or meter. Like father, like son. The escaped prisoner was wanted dead or alive. Easy come, easy go. | 48 | |
| 2681186547 | paratactic sentence | short, simple sentences, It can be defined as a rhetorical term in which phrases and clauses are placed one after another independently I came, I saw, I conquered." This is among the famous examples of parataxis. There are no conjunctions or joining words used. The phrases are used equally. That means phrases are placed with equal status. | 49 | |
| 2681482342 | parody | a work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule | 50 | |
| 2681482922 | pedantic | an adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish | 51 | |
| 2681482923 | periodic sentence | a sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end | 52 | |
| 2681483570 | periphrasis | a stylistic device that can be defined as the use of excessive and longer words to convey a meaning which could have been conveyed with a shorter expression or in a few words. | 53 | |
| 2681483571 | polysyndeton | stylistic device in which several coordinating conjunctions are used in succession in order to achieve an artistic effect. They lived and laughed and loved and left. | 54 | |
| 2681484340 | personification | figure of speech in which a thing, an idea or an animal is given human attributes. The fire swallowed the entire forest. Look at my car. She is a beauty, isn't it so? | 55 | |
| 2681484341 | point of view | angle of considering things, which shows us the opinion, or feelings of the individuals involved in a situation. In literature, point of view is the mode of narration that an author employs to let the readers "hear" and "see" what takes place in a story, poem, essay etc. .First person point of view involves the use of either of the two pronouns "I" and "we" .Second person point of view employs the pronoun "you". .Third person point of view uses pronouns like "he", "she", "it", "they" or a name. | 56 | |
| 2681485451 | quatrain | verse with four lines, or even a full poem containing four lines, having an independent and separate theme. | 57 | |
| 2681485452 | prose | verse with four lines, or even a full poem containing four lines, having an independent and separate theme. | 58 | |
| 2681485453 | rhetoric | technique of using language effectively and persuasively in spoken or written form How did this idiot get elected? - A rhetorical question to convince others that the "idiot" does not deserve to be elected. Here comes the Helen of our school. - An allusion to "Helen of Troy" to emphasize the beauty of a girl. I would die if you asked me to sing in front of my parents - A hyperbole to persuade others not to use force to make you do something which you don't want to do. All blonde-haired people are dumb. - Using a stereotype to develop a general opinion about a group. | 59 | |
| 2681486275 | sarcasm | a literary and rhetorical device that is meant to mock with often satirical or ironic remarks with a purpose to amuse and hurt someone or some section of society simultaneously. | 60 | |
| 2681486276 | satire | technique employed by writers to expose and criticize foolishness and corruption of an individual or a society by using humor, irony, exaggeration or ridicule. Political Satire | 61 | |
| 2681486277 | soliloquy | often used in drama to reveal the innermost thoughts of a character. It is a great technique used to convey the progress of action of the play by means of expressing a character's thoughts about a certain character or past, present or upcoming event while talking to himself without acknowledging the presence of any other person. | 62 | |
| 2681487296 | semantics | deals with interpretation and meaning of the words, sentence structure and symbols, while determining the reading comprehension of the readers how they understand others and their interpretations. One man's trash is another man's treasure. Two silkworms had a race. They ended up in a tie. | 63 | |
| 2681487297 | style | The style in writing can be defined as the way a writer writes and it is the technique which an individual author uses in his writing. It varies from author to author and depends upon one's syntax, word choice, and tone. It can also be described as a voice that readers listen to when they read the work of a writer. | 64 | |
| 2681487836 | subject complement | adjective, noun, or pronoun that follows a linking verb: following verbs are true linking verbs: any form of the verb be [am, is, are, was, were, has been, are being, might have been, etc.], become, and seem. Brandon = subject; is = linking verb; athlete = noun as subject complement. | 65 | |
| 2681487837 | subordinate clause | dependent clause—will begin with a subordinate conjunction or a relative pronoun and will contain both a subject and a verb. This combination of words will not form a complete sentence. After = subordinate conjunction; Amy = subject; sneezed = verb. | 66 | |
| 2681487838 | syllogism | rhetorical device that starts an argument with a reference to something general and from this it draws conclusion about something more specific Major premise: All mammals are warm-blooded. Minor premise: All black dogs are mammals. Conclusion: Therefore, all black dogs are warm-blooded. | 67 | |
| 2681488599 | symbol | literary device that contains several layers of meaning, often concealed at first sight, and is representative of several other aspects, concepts or traits than those that are visible in the literal translation alone. Symbol is using an object or action that means something more than its literal meaning. | 68 | |
| 2681488600 | synecdoche | a part of something represents the whole or it may use a whole to represent a part. The word "suits" refers to businessmen. | 69 | |
| 2681488601 | synesthesia | technique adopted by writers to present ideas, characters or places in such a manner that they appeal to more than one senses like hearing, seeing, smell etc. at a given time. refers to a medical condition wherein one or many of the sensory modalities become joined to one another, in literature it refers to the depiction of a strong connection, link or bond between the different senses. However, in casual conversations, ne can hear phrases like "cool dress" , "cool colors" or "you are looking cool" wherein the visual sensation is blended with the sense of touch. | 70 | |
| 2681489248 | syntax | dictates how words from different parts of speech are put together in order to convey a complete thought. actual way in which words and sentences are placed together in the writing The sentence "The man drives the car" would follow normal syntax in the English language. By changing the syntax to "The car drives the man", the sentence becomes awkward. | 71 | |
| 2681489249 | theme | a main idea or an underlying meaning of a literary work that may be stated directly or indirectly. The main theme in the play Romeo and Juliet was love with smaller themes of sacrifice, tragedy, struggle, hardship, devotion and so on. | 72 | |
| 2681489250 | thesis | statement in a non-fiction or a fiction work that a writer intends to support and prove. | 73 | |
| 2681489251 | tone | an attitude of a writer toward a subject or an audience. Tone is generally conveyed through the choice of words or the viewpoint of a writer on a particular subject. In her Harry Potter series, author J.K. Rowling has taken an extremely positive, inspiring and uplifting tone towards the idea of love and devotion. | 74 | |
| 2681489707 | transition | words and phrases that provide a connection between ideas, sentences and paragraphs. Transitions help to make a piece of writing flow better. They can turn disconnected pieces of ideas into a unified whole and prevent a reader from getting lost in the reading. To show contrast between ideas: on the contrary, however, notwithstanding. To denote time: after, at last, before. To add to the previous point in the essay: furthermore, besides, moreover. To show similarity or comparison between ideas: likewise, similarly, in like fashion. To sum up the points: finally, therefore, consequently. | 75 | |
| 2681490198 | understatement | practice of drawing attention to a fact that is already obvious and noticeable. Understating a fact is usually done by way of sarcasm, irony, wryness or any other form of dry humor. Understating something is akin to exaggerating its obviousness as a means of humor. Oh! I wonder if he could get any later; I am free all day long". Said in a sarcastic tone it indicates that the speaker obviously means the opposite of the literal meaning. | 76 | |
| 2681490199 | wit | intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights | 77 | |
| 2681490200 | tricolon | intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights "I require three things in a man. He must be handsome, ruthless, and stupid." (attributed to Dorothy Parker) | 78 | |
| 2681490727 | vernacular | everyday spoken language Southern Vernacular: a larkin (to prank), all y'all (everyone), buggy (shopping cart), lagniappe (something extra) | 79 | |
| 2681490728 | anaphora | deliberate repetition of the first part of the sentence in order to achieve an artistic effect is known as Anaphora. "Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better and better" "My life is my purpose. My life is my goal. My life is my inspiration." "Buying nappies for the baby, feeding the baby, playing with the baby: This is what your life is when you have a baby. "I want my money right now, right here, all right?" | 80 | |
| 2681492100 | asyndeton | ntentionally eliminate conjunctions between the phrases and in the sentence, yet maintain the grammatical accuracy A. One type of asyndeton is used between words, phrases and a sentence. For example: "Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, Shrunk to this little measure?" (Julius Caesar, Act 3, Scene 1 by William Shakespeare) B. Second type is used between sentences or clauses. For example: Without looking, without making a sound, without talking (Oedipus at Colonus by Sophecles) | 81 | |
| 2681492101 | chiasmus | rhetorical device in which two or more clauses are balanced against each other by the reversal of their structures in order to produce an artistic effect. "Never let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You." | 82 | |
| 2681492924 | foil | character that shows qualities that are in contrast with the qualities of another character with the objective to highlight the traits of the other character. Paradise Lost, Wuthering Heights, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are books that are often used for examples of foil. | 83 | |
| 2688591626 | voice | form or a format through which narrators tell their stories. It is prominent when a writer places himself / herself into words and provides a sense the character is real person conveying a specific message the writer intends to convey. In simple words, it is an author's individual writing style or point of view. Author's Voice - Author's voice is his particular style he employs in that particular story of a piece of writing. Character's Voice - A character's voice is the voice of the main character how he views the world. It is a common narrative voice used with first and third person point of views, and author uses a conscious person as a narrator in the story. | 84 | |
| 2688591627 | absolutes | show a special "how" relationship between two sentences. The two sentences are combined in a way that subordinates one to the other. For example, Mary was sitting at her desk. Her head was slightly lowered over a pile of chemistry notes. Mary was sitting at her desk, her head slightly lowered over a pile of chemistry notes. | 85 | |
| 2688598109 | denouement | resolution of the issue of a complicated plot in fiction. Majority of the examples of denouement show the resolution in the final part or chapter that is often an epilogue. Denouement is usually driven by the climax. In mystery novels, however, the climax and denouement might occur simultaneously. In most of the other forms of literature, it is merely the end of the story. | 86 | |
| 2688598110 | deux ex machina | circumstance where an implausible concept or a divine character is introduced into a storyline for the purpose of resolving its conflict and procuring an interesting outcome. Example Medea: When Medea is shown in the chariot of the sun god Helios, the god himself isn't present. From her vantage point in the chariot she watches the grieving Jason. The argument goes about that this specific scene is an illustration of the employment of the device within the plot of the tragedy. | 87 | |
| 2688599129 | refrain | a verse, a line, a set, or a group of some lines that appears at the end of stanza, or appears where a poem divides into different sections. Example 1 The art of losing isn't hard to master; so many things seem filled with the intent to be lost that their loss is no disaster... Lose something every day. Accept the fluster of lost door keys, the hour badly spent. The art of losing isn't hard to master though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster. (One Art by Elizabeth Bishop) | 88 | |
| 2688599130 | hubris | extreme pride and arrogance shown by a character that ultimately brings about his downfall. Hubris is a typical flaw in the personality of a character who enjoys a powerful position | 89 | |
| 2688599131 | elegy | poem or song in the form of elegiac couplets, written in honor of someone deceased. It typically laments or mourns the death of the individual. Usually, elegies are identified by several characteristics of genre: Just like a classical epic, an elegy typically starts with the invocation of the muse and then proceeds by referencing to the traditional mythology. It often involves a poet who knows how to phrase the thoughts imaginatively in the first person. Questions are raised by the poet about destiny, justice and fate. The poet associates the events of the deceased with events in his own life by drawing a subtle comparison. This kind of digression gives the poet space to go beyond the main or crude subject to a deeper level where the connotations might be metaphorical. Towards the end the poet generally tries to provide comfort to ease the pain of the situation. The Christian elegies usually proceed from sorrow and misery to hope and happiness because they say that death is just a hindrance in the way of passing from the mortal state into the eternal state. An elegy is not always based on a plot. | 90 | |
| 2688599132 | epistrophe | repetition of phrases or words at the end of the clauses or sentences. | 91 | |
| 2688599584 | lyric poem | songs can be considered poetry. In fact, they fall under the category of lyric poetry. The purpose of lyric poetry is to express personal emotions or thoughts of the speaker, just like the songs of today. Also, just like songs, lyric poems always have a musical quality, or a specific melody which makes it easy for you to sing along with. The term 'lyric poetry' actually comes from the ancient Greek word lyre, which refers to the instrument in that era that accompanied the reading of the lyric poem. Almost like the first version of a live concert. Sonnet | 92 | |
| 2688599585 | epistolary | literary genre pertaining to letters, in which writers use letters, journals and diary entries in their works, or they tell their stories or deliver messages through a series of letters. | 93 | |
| 2688599586 | free verse | free from limitations of regular meter or rhythm and does not rhyme with fixed forms. Such poems are without rhythms and rhyme schemes; do not follow regular rhyme scheme rules and still provide artistic expression. allows poets to use alliteration, rhyme, cadences or rhythms to get the effects that they consider are suitable for the piece. Free verse poems have no regular meter and rhythm. They do not follow a proper rhyme scheme as such; these poems do not have any set rules. This type of poem is based on normal pauses and natural rhythmical phrases as compared to the artificial constraints of normal poetry. It is also called vers libre which is a French word. | 94 | |
| 2688600045 | euphony | The literary device euphony is derived from the Greek word "euphonos" that means sweet-voiced. It can be defined as the use of words and phrases that are distinguished as having a wide range of noteworthy melody or loveliness in the sounds they create. It gives pleasing and soothing effects to the ears due to repeated vowels and smooth consonants. It can be used with other literary devices like alliteration, assonance and rhyme to create more melodic effects. Examples of euphony are commonly found in poetry and literary prose. Euphony involves the use of long vowels that are more melodious than consonants. Euphony involves the use of harmonious consonants such as "l, m, n, r" and soft "f" and "v" sounds. Euphony uses soft consonants or semi-vowels "w", "s", "y" and "th" or "wh" extensively to create more pleasant sound | 95 | |
| 2688600046 | cacophony | to the use of words with sharp, harsh, hissing and unmelodious sounds primarily those of consonants to achieve desired results. "I detest war because cause of war is always trivial." The part "because cause" is cacophony as because is followed by a word cause that has a similar sound but different meaning. Generally, it sounds unpleasant as the same sound is repeated in two different words. uses consonants in combinations which requires explosive delivery e.g., p, b, d, g, k, ch-, sh- etc. | 96 | |
| 2688600047 | caesura | pause in a line of poetry that is formed by the rhythms of natural speech rather than by metrics. A caesura will usually occur near the middle of a poetic line but can also occur at the beginning or the end of a line. In poetry, there are two types of caesural breaks: feminine and masculine. A caesura is usually indicated by the symbol || but can be indicated by a single crossed line. | 97 | |
| 2688600048 | end-stopped | a pause comes at the end of a syntactic unit (sentence, clause or phrase); this pause can be expressed in writing as a punctuation mark such as a colon, semi-colon, period or full stop. | 98 | |
| 2688600584 | enjambed | In poetry it means moving over from one line to another without a terminating punctuation mark. It can be defined as a thought or sense, phrase or clause in a line of poetry that does not come to an end at the line break but moves over to the next line. In simple words, it is the running on of a sense from one couplet or line to the next without a major pause or syntactical break. Enjambment lines usually do not have a punctuation mark at the end. It is a running on of a thought from one line to another without final punctuation. It is used in poetry to trick a reader. Poets lead their readers to think of an idea then, on the next line, give an idea that conflicts it. Poets can achieve a fast pace or rhythm by using enjambment. Multiple ideas can be expressed without using semi-colons, periods and commas. It helps reinforce the main idea that might seem to be confusing with pauses. It can be seen in different songs and poems. It helps readers to continue thinking about the idea which is expressed in one line and which continues through to the next. | 99 |
