DYSPHEMISM
DYSPHEMISM [Stress: ‘DIS-fe-mizm’]. In RHETORIC, the use of a negative or disparaging expression to describe something or someone, such as calling a Rolls-Royce a jalopy. A cruel or offensive dysphemism is a cacophemism (from Greek kakós bad: ‘ka-KOFF-e-mizm’), such as using it for a person: Is it coming again tonight? See EUPHEMISM.
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Litotes , litotes •atlantes, Cervantes •Ecclesiastes • penates • gentes •Orestes, testes, Thyestes •Achates, Euphrates •diabetes • striptease •pyrites, Stylite… throw , throw / [unvoicedth]rō/ • v. (past threw / [unvoicedth]roō/ ; past part. thrown / [unvoicedth]rōn/ ) 1. [tr.] propel (something) with force through t… Call , call / kôl/ • v. 1. [tr.] cry out to (someone) in order to summon them or attract their attention: she heard Terry calling her | [intr.] I distinctly… Pick , pick1 / pik/ • v. 1. [tr.] take hold of and remove (a flower, fruit, or vegetable) from where it is growing: I went to pick some flowers for Jenny's… Dust , dust / dəst/ • n. 1. fine, dry powder consisting of tiny particles of earth or waste matter lying on the ground or on surfaces or carried in the air:… Negative , neg·a·tive / ˈnegətiv/ • adj. 1. consisting in or characterized by the absence rather than the presence of distinguishing features. ∎ (of a statement…
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DYSPHEMISM