Zeugma and syllepsis

Common card · No. 236093

Zeugma ( ) is the use of a word to modify or govern two or more words or phrases. The term comes from the Ancient Greek ζεῦγμα, zeûgma, lit. "a yoking together". An example may be "rolling lightning and thunder", where "rolling" is applied to two nouns ("lightning" and "thunder"). Syllepsis () is a form of zeugma used in such a manner that it applies to each word or phrase in a different sense. It is from the Ancient Greek σύλληψις, súllēpsis, lit. "a taking together") An example may be "she opened the door and her heart to the stray kitten", where "opened" applies in two contrasting senses. A syllepsis may evidence poor usage, or may be used in a humorous or a rhetorical manner.

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