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Anadrome: a word or phrase that reads as a different word or phrase in reverse; Apronym: an acronym that is also a phrase pertaining to the original meaning RAS syndrome: repetition of a word by using it both as a word alone and as a part of the acronym; Recursive acronym: an acronym that has the acronym itself as one of its components
In modern English, sycophant denotes an "insincere flatterer" and is used to refer to someone practising sycophancy (i.e., insincere flattery to gain advantage). The word has its origin in the legal system of Classical Athens .
A special case of semantic syllepsis occurs when a word or phrase is used both in its figurative and literal sense at the same time. [3] Then, it is not necessary for the governing phrase to relate to two parts of the sentence. One example is in an advertisement for a transport company: "We go a long way for you."
Lists of words having different meanings in American and British English: (A–L; M–Z) Works; Works with different titles in the UK and US.
Some sources distinguish "diacritical marks" (marks upon standard letters in the A–Z 26-letter alphabet) from "special characters" (letters not marked but radically modified from the standard 26-letter alphabet) such as Old English and Icelandic eth (Ð, ð) and thorn (uppercase Þ, lowercase þ), and ligatures such as Latin and Anglo-Saxon Æ (minuscule: æ), and German eszett (ß; final ...
Syncope: omission of parts of a word or phrase. Symploce: simultaneous use of anaphora and epistrophe: the repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning and the end of successive clauses. Synchysis: words that are intentionally scattered to create perplexment. Synecdoche: referring to a part by its whole or vice versa.
Every word has a variety of senses and connotations, which can be added, removed, or altered over time, often to the extent that cognates across space and time have very different meanings. The study of semantic change can be seen as part of etymology , onomasiology , semasiology , and semantics .
To some psychologists, Wormtongue serves as an archetypal sycophant. Tolkien scholars note that Tolkien based Wormtongue on the untrustworthy character Unferth in Beowulf . He is presumptive, behaving as if he already rules Rohan, and exemplifies lechery, as correctly guessed by Gandalf ; he hopes to become rich, and to take Éowyn as the woman ...