zeugma
One verb, two senses
Zeugma is a figure of speech in which a single word, usually a verb, governs two or more words in different ways: She lowered her standards and her neckline.
The humor or elegance comes from yoking together literal and figurative senses, or two mismatched objects, under one grammatical action: He took his hat and his leave.
Mark indicating omitted words
- chiasmusInverted parallel construction
- synecdochePart standing for whole
- metonymySubstituting associated name
- litotesUnderstatement via negation
hyperbole · irony · oxymoron · paradox · antithesis · trope · device · scheme
Organized cooperative movement
- ellipsisMark indicating omitted words
- predicateSentence's non-subject portion
- clauseProvision in agreement
- syntaxRules for arranging words
conjunction · gapping · complement · object · parallelism · construction · agreement · modification
Catholic Church's supreme leader
- DickensSurname of Victorian novelist
- comedyWork meant to amuse
- satireMockery exposing vice
- witClever, inventive humor
Oscar Wilde · prose · poetry · wordplay · figurative language · double entendre · punchline · literary technique
ellipsis
Mark indicating omitted words
- chiasmusInverted parallel construction
- synecdochePart standing for whole
- metonymySubstituting associated name
litotes · hyperbole · irony · oxymoron · paradox · antithesis · trope · device · scheme · ornament
coordination
Organized cooperative movement
- ellipsisMark indicating omitted words
- predicateSentence's non-subject portion
- clauseProvision in agreement
syntax · conjunction · gapping · complement · object · parallelism · construction · agreement · modification · sentence structure
Pope
Catholic Church's supreme leader
Oscar Wilde · wit · prose · poetry · wordplay · figurative language · double entendre · punchline · literary technique · verbal irony