Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In rhetoric, a figure in which several things are mentioned that seem to make against the argument or in favor of the opposite side, but each of which is refuted in order.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Rhet.) A figure in which several things are mentioned that seem to make against the argument, or in favor of the opposite side, each of them being refuted in order.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun rhetoric A rhetorical figure in which several things are mentioned that seem to make against the argument, or in favour of the opposing side, and then they are refuted one by one.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Ancient Greek a throwing under, a suggesting.

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Examples

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Comments

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  • hypobole--to ridiculously understate...referring to the Vietnam War as "somewhat ill-conceived"

    September 7, 2007

  • This is a moderately decent word.

    September 7, 2007