An understated or ironic figure of speech in which an idea or thing is emphasised by rejecting its opposite, for example ‘You won’t be sorry’ to...
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The misuse of words for humorous effect, named after Mrs Malaprop in R. B. Sheridan’s The Rivals (1775).
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An exaggerated or extreme statement lessened or undermined by a successive statement which suggests a changed mind or a calmed emotion.
...Where one thing is said to be another to invite comparison or emphasise a similarity.
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A recognisable or inherent aspect of a thing used to represent the thing itself, for example a businessman being referred to as a ‘suit’, the...
The embodiment of a punishment often presented as an antagonist or enemy.
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Words which imitate the sounds they represent, for example ‘click’ and ‘clack’, or the use of consonant sounds to mimic the sound they are...
A phrase which joins contradictory words to create a paradox, for example ‘pretty ugly’.
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An idea, or event presented as a human operation; adopting human attributes.
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The redundant use of extra words which repeat rather than expand meaning, such as ‘burning fire’ or ‘a really new innovation’.
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The repetition of a word, or its root, with a different grammatical application each time.
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A question which is not intended to be answered but is instead used to emphasise a point.
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Where one thing is said to be like another to invite comparison and emphasise a similarity.
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When the first consonant sounds of two or more words are swapped to create a new phrase for humorous effect.
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A form of logical reasoning where two propositions or ideas, which share a common element, together confirm a given conclusion.
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