Literary Devices
This device involves the use of excessive conjunctions in close succession to achieve an overwhelming effect in a sentence.
polysyndeton
This word refers to an irresistible urge to perform a certain action, typically one against the person's conscious wishes.
compulsion
Identify the term for a clause that modifies the whole sentence, often providing additional context or information.
adverbial sentence
his term refers to the metrical foot used most commonly in Shakespeare's sonnets, consisting of one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.
iambic pentameter
This idiom means to flatter or praise excessively.
butter someone up
his term describes a literary technique where a character’s speech is fragmented or disjointed to mirror a disordered thought process or emotional state.
aposiopesis
This term describes a deep-seated feeling of dislike; aversion.
antipathy
This structure involves using a verb form that functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb
gerund
This term describes a play on words, often used by Shakespeare, where a word has multiple meanings or sounds like another word.
pun
This expression means to be caught in a difficult situation from which it is hard to escape.
to be in a pickle
This figure of speech involves the deliberate omission of conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses to create a concise, memorable statement.
asyndeton
This word means excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters
garrulous
This term describes a verb form that functions as an adjective and often ends in -ing or -ed.
participle
This term refers to the unique rhetorical device Shakespeare uses, often characterized by an extended metaphor or witty wordplay.
conceit
This idiom means to act suddenly without thinking.
jump the gun
This term refers to a rhetorical device where a part is used to represent the whole or vice versa.
synecdoche
This adjective describes something of, relating to, or suggestive of a secret plan made by a group of people to do something unlawful or harmful
conspiratorial
This term refers to a grammatical construction where a noun or noun phrase renames another noun right beside it.
apposition
This term refers to an archaic or dialectal form of 'you' used in Shakespearean English
thou
This idiom means to reveal a secret or disclose information that was meant to be kept confidential.
spill the beans
This device involves the use of a mild or indirect word or expression to replace one considered too harsh or blunt
euphemism
This word means showing a lack of proper respect; rude
impudent
This syntactic structure is formed by the omission of words that are implied by the context, often used in literature for stylistic effect
ellipsis
This figure of speech, frequently used by Shakespeare, involves a character speaking their thoughts aloud, typically when alone, to allow the audience to understand their inner thoughts.
soliloquy
This expression means to face the consequences of one’s actions, often unpleasant.
face the music