Definitions from the Web
Pleonasm
Definition:
A pleonasm, in linguistics, refers to the use of more words or parts of words than necessary to convey a certain meaning. It is a redundancy that emphasizes a point or adds emphasis to a statement.
Senses:
- As a figure of speech: Pleonasm is used as a figure of speech to intensify or exaggerate a particular thought or concept.
- In linguistic analysis: Pleonasm is examined to identify unnecessary or redundant elements in a sentence or phrase.
Usages:
- Popular usage: Pleonasm is frequently used in everyday language to add emphasis, create powerful imagery, or in certain idiomatic expressions.
- Local usage: Certain dialects or regions may have specific pleonastic phrases or expressions that are unique to that area.
Examples:
Figure of speech:
- "The bright, shining sun" (the adjective "bright" already implies brightness, making "shining" unnecessary)
- "It's freezing cold outside!" (using both "freezing" and "cold" emphasizes the extreme coldness)
Linguistic analysis:
- "I saw it with my own eyes." (using both "saw" and "eyes" is redundant as seeing implies using one's eyes)
- "She nodded her head in agreement." (nodding is a gesture performed by the head, so mentioning both is unnecessary)
Popular usage:
- "I completely, totally, and utterly disagree with you." (using multiple adverbs to intensify the disagreement)
- "I absolutely love chocolate!" (using "absolutely" adds emphasis to the strong feeling of love)
Local usage:
- "The party was a big, massive hit!" (using both "big" and "massive" to emphasize the success)
- "They gave me this huge, giant cake!" (using both "huge" and "giant" to describe the size of the cake)
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