Some Literary Terms

a passing or casual reference; an incidental mention ofsomething, either directly or by implication: an allusion toShakespeare.

a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitlycompared, as in “she is like a rose.” Compare metaphor.

a figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole or thewhole for a part, the special for the general or the general for thespecial, as in ten sail for ten ships or a Croesus for a rich man.

a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory orabsurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.

the act or an instance of understating, or representing in a weakor restrained way that is not borne out by the facts: The journalistwrote that the earthquake had caused some damage. This turned out to be amassive understatement of the devastation.

the attribution of a personal nature or character to inanimate objects or abstract notions, especially as arhetorical figure.

irony that is inherent in speeches or a situation of a drama and isunderstood by the audience but not grasped by the characters inthe play.

to abstain from an impulse to say or do something (oftenfollowed by from ): I refrained from telling him what I thought.

a subject of discourse, discussion, meditation, orcomposition; topic: The need for world peace was the theme of themeeting.

a mournful, melancholy, or plaintive poem, especially afuneral song or a lament for the dead.

a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality oressential meaning of something, usually initiated by somesimple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.

the direct opposite (usually followed by of or to ): Herbehavior was the very antithesis of cowardly.

a pair of successive lines of verse, especially a pair that rhyme and are of the same length.

to abstain from an impulse to say or do something (oftenfollowed by from ): I refrained from telling him what I thought.

an act or instance of placing close together or side by side,especially for comparison or contrast.

a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied tosomething to which it is not literally applicable in order tosuggest a resemblance, as in “A mighty fortress is ourGod.” Compare mixed metaphor, simile ( def. 1 ) .