TAUTOLOGY

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TAUTOLOGY, also PLEONASM. A term in RHETORIC for unnecessary and ineffective REPETITION, usually with words that add nothing new: She was alone by herself. Many tautological (or tautologous) expressions occur in everyday usage. The tautology in some is immediately apparent: all well and good; cool, calm, and collected; free, gratis, and for nothing. In others, it is less obvious, because they contain archaic elements: by hook or by crook; a hue and cry; not a jot or tittle; null and void; rack and ruin. Compare CIRCUMLOCUTION, REDUNDANCY.

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