Style Devices - Thursday Quiz

Question 1

Meiosis

Answer 1

Intentionally understating something

Question 2

Malapropism

Answer 2

Misusing words ridiculously

Question 3

Spoonerism

Answer 3

Shuffling of the first letters of words to make different words

Question 4

Syllogism

Answer 4

Two statements made and a conclusion is drawn

Question 5

Polysyndeton

Answer 5

Repetition of conjunctions with no commas

Question 6

Asyndeton

Answer 6

Conjunctions are deliberately omitted

Question 7

Oxymoron

Answer 7

Two contradictory words together

Question 8

Portmanteau

Answer 8

Combination of two words to create a new one

Question 9

Nemesis

Answer 9

Source of harm or ruin

Question 10

Amplification

Answer 10

Repeating a word/expression by adding details

Question 11

Ambiguity

Answer 11

Multiple meanings, especially two meanings that are incompatible

Question 12

Apostrophe

Answer 12

Directed toward an person/thing/idea

Question 13

Chiasmus

Answer 13

Concepts are repeated in the reverse order

Question 14

Connotation

Answer 14

Implied meaning of a word

Question 15

Denotation

Answer 15

Literal meaning of a word

Question 16

Doppelgänger

Answer 16

Ghostly double of another character

Question 17

Foil

Answer 17

Character who contrasts another

Question 18

Paradox

Answer 18

Statement that appears to be contradictory but is not

Question 19

Anaphora

Answer 19

Repetition of a word/phrase at the beginning of successive clauses

Question 20

Epistrophe

Answer 20

Repetition of a word/phrase at the end of successive clauses

Question 21

Litotes

Answer 21

A positive form emphasized by the negative form

Question 22

Verisimilitude

Answer 22

The appearance of truth

Question 23

Truism

Answer 23

An overstated obvious fact

Question 24

Epigram/aphorism/maxim

Answer 24

A brief cleverly worded statement about life

Question 25

Deus ex machina

Answer 25

An artificial resolve

Question 26

Metonymy/synecdoche

Answer 26

The part represents the whole

Question 27

Synesthesia

Answer 27

Two or more sensory images merged together unnaturally

Question 28

Allusion

Answer 28

Brief reference to a famous event/person

Question 29

Parallel structure

Answer 29

Repetition of words/phrases with similar grammatical structure

Question 30

Rhetorical question

Answer 30

Question asked for effect only

Question 31

Euphemism

Answer 31

An expression used to make a harsh reality less offensive

Question 32

Diatribe

Answer 32

Bitter verbal attack

Question 33

Jargon

Answer 33

Special words/expressions for a particular group

Question 34

Analogy

Answer 34

A comparison of two things based on similarities

Question 35

Motif

Answer 35

Reoccurring idea/pattern/thing used throughout a word

Question 36

Juxtaposition

Answer 36

Normally unassociated ideas/words/phrases are placed next to another creating surprise

Question 37

Antithesis

Answer 37

A person/thing/idea that is the direct opposite of another

Question 38

Anachronism

Answer 38

A thing belonging to a period other than that in which it exists

Question 39

Anti-hero

Answer 39

A central character who lacks all the “hero” qualities

Question 40

Harmartia

Answer 40

Fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a hero

Question 41

Hyperbole

Answer 41

Exaggeration for effect