a stupid, awkward, or unlucky person
She was also a transcendent schlemiel.
She was also a transcendent schlemiel.
played with prominent stress or accent —used as a direction in music
a baroque sforzando quavering to rest in the image
a baroque sforzando quavering to rest in the image
the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation (adj: semiotic)
"semiotics" (which is the systematic investigation of signs and symbols)
"semiotics" (which is the systematic investigation of signs and symbols)
the study of man has become the study of disintegration and certain extinction
defined by Claude Lévi-Strauss in contrast to anthropology
defined by Claude Lévi-Strauss in contrast to anthropology
a brief moral saying taken from ancient or popular or other sources, often quoted without context; as an adjective, means either given to aphoristic expression, or just referring to an aphoristic expression. or: 'in a way that tries to sound important or intelligent, especially by expressing moral judgements'
sententia (the Latin name for a one-sentence dictum or proposition)
sententia (the Latin name for a one-sentence dictum or proposition)
understatement (feminine)
A litote, as we find it persistently in the greatest of all French writers--in Racine--is the tightly, densely concentrated expression of some central immensity, or even enormity, in human recognitions and emotions.
A litote, as we find it persistently in the greatest of all French writers--in Racine--is the tightly, densely concentrated expression of some central immensity, or even enormity, in human recognitions and emotions.
loud, reverberating, and often melancholy
the plangent but self-mocking lilt
the plangent but self-mocking lilt
(noun) follower disciple / (noun) an inferior imitator
Our arts and letters are, arguably, those of epigones.
Our arts and letters are, arguably, those of epigones.
to walk or perform another act while asleep or in a sleeplike condition
Our responses to crises display a certain somnambular automatism.
Our responses to crises display a certain somnambular automatism.
a speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly (plural: encomia). as the adjective encomiastic, means bestowing praise, eulogistic, laudatory
a graduate student launched on an encomium of times past
a graduate student launched on an encomium of times past