Now that weve gone over what an oxymoron is, lets take a closer look at four famous oxymoron examples in sentences to better understand how this literary device actually works. Oxymorons have been used for millennia. josh brener commercial. "A lot of people never use their initiative because no-one told them to.". Nothing else. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. This contradiction is also known as a paradox. In this poem, Auden utilizes the oxymoron juicy bone. Of course, a bone is generally considered dry and the opposite of juicy. "100 Awfully Good Examples of Oxymorons." It's likely you've used, or at least heard, a few oxymorons in your everyday life, even if you didn't realize it at the time. In 1778, the French chemist Antoine Lavoisier (1743-94) proposed for the recently discovered element the name . An oxymoron term is a literary figure of speech in which opposite or contradictory words, phrases, terms or ideas 309 likes. However, the explicit advertisement of the use of oxymorons opened up a sliding scale of less than obvious construction, ending in the "opinion oxymorons" such as "business ethics". If something is original,then it is not a copy. More than a few have even become commonplace expressions in modern-day English, such as these oxymoron examples: As with other literary devices like metaphor, onomatopoeia, and hyperbole, oxymorons have a few different purposes in writing, all of which are quite useful in the right situation: As a contradiction of terms, an oxymoron both stands out and also elicits critical thinking. Yes. Lord Byron, Don Juan: Canto VIII, His honour rooted in dishonour stood, The fascinating story behind many people's favori Can you handle the (barometric) pressure? They also occasionally work well with. Oxymorons can be clearly confusing (see what we did there? The oxymoron is a figure of speech that adds depth and technique to literary works. One example of a paradox is the following conflicting idea. Oxymoronic is the adjectival form of oxymoron. One example of this is when Oscar Wilde comically reflected on the fact that he "can resist anything, except temptation.". Oxymorons are a favorite literary device of poets, particularly when they express complex feelings such as love and desire. Reading these words together will often cause a reader to pause and think about what the writer is trying to convey. It is often composed of an adjective and a noun that are not usually seen together, juxtaposed in a startling way. In other words, oxymorons are contradictive words or phrases used intentionally to create an effect. are combined to create a rhetorical effect by paradoxical means. One classic example of the use of oxymorons in English literature can be found in this example from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, where Romeo strings together thirteen in a row: O brawling love! Here are some examples of oxymoron that may be found in everyday expression: insertListLink('', 2, 2, 'shortexamples'). This excerpt from Irish poet William Butler Yeats famous poem "Easter 1916" has the prominent oxymoron "terrible beauty," which is repeated again at the end of the poem. Generally, an oxymoron phrase is a . All rights reserved. The adjective sophomoric has two meanings that bring a somewhat negative connotation to sophomores: conceited and overconfident of knowledge but poorly informed and immature (as in a sophomoric argument) or lacking in maturity, taste, or judgment (as in sophomoric humor). The term "oxymoron" is itself an oxymoron as it derives from the Greek "oxus" (sharp) and "moros" (stupid). The scholarship instructions state that I should submit an, I asked Steve to go to the dance with me. Oxymorons combine contradictory words, but paradoxes combine contradictory ideas. This famous quotation from Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet contains an equally famous oxymoron. Oxymorons are not meant to be taken literally. Terrific has positive connotations, as in wonderful or extraordinarily great. For example, if a character is described as a man child, this oxymoron calls up a humorous image of a child that looks like a man or vice-versa. As a literary device, oxymoron has the effect of creating an impression, enhancing a concept, and even entertaining the reader. The inherent setup of contradictory words works great for jokes and other witty statements. tautology, noun : needless or meaningless repetition in close succession of an idea, statement, or word. the word nascar is an oxymoron. As the example's author, Richard Watson Todd, said, "The true beauty of oxymorons is that, unless we sit back and really think, we happily accept them as normalEnglish. If Holdens claim is that he is wonderful at being an untruthful person, then he casts doubt as to the truth of his own statement to the reader about being a terrific liar as well. An oxymoron is an opposition between a term and the qualification that is given it, or between two qualities attributed to a single term, or between the simultaneous denial and assertion of the same fact or concept. Like a paradox, an oxymoron is whats known as a contradiction in terms, although oxymorons and paradoxes are two different things, as explained below. William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, O brawling love! Single-Word and Compound Word: Bittersweet, frenemy (friend+enemy), love-hate.Adjective + Noun: Sweet sorrow (made famous by William . The term chiaroscuro, used in Renaissance painting, refers to the transition from light to shadow across an object (such as a muscled arm) to create the perception of depth. Need more help with this topic? Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018. Figure of Speech: Definition and Examples, Definition and Examples of Irony (Figure of Speech). Yes! Here are some examples of oxymoron phrases in well-known literary works, along with how they add to interpretation: Good night, good night! An oxymoron is a figure of speech containing words that seem to contradict each other. Think jumbo shrimp. Usually, oxymorons are made up of just two words, but paradoxes are complete sentences, sometimes entire paragraphs. These 50+ oxymoron examples are listed alphabetically and arranged by category (i.e., the type of oxymoron word combination). [9] An oxymoron is a self-contradicting word or group of words (as in Shakespeare's line from Romeo and Juliet, "Why, then, O brawling love! oxymoron (n.) in rhetoric, "a figure conjoining words or terms apparently contradictory so as to give point to the statement or expression," 1650s, from Greek oxymron, noun use of neuter of oxymros (adj.) Paired together, however, they create a deeper meaning. Amplification Definition and Examples in Rhetoric, Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia, M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester, B.A., English, State University of New York. That I shall say good night till it be morrow. In turn, if something is acopy,then it is not original. If you are looking for something seriously funny that will serve as a simply brilliant example of an oxymoron, the following article provides you with a compiled oxymoron list. PDF. Sign up to receive the latest and greatest articles from our site automatically each week (give or take)right to your inbox. Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about oxymoron. The common oxymoron phrase is a combination of an adjective followed by a noun with contrasting meanings. An oxymoron is a phrase made of two or more words that actually have opposite meanings. This is especially achieved if the word pairing reveals intensity or a great difference in quality. Saying that a picture or a scene is "painfully beautiful" calls attention to the speaker and the object of inquiry. So elements that mean great and small combine to form a noun for a place to pick up your provisions. Oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines two normally contradictory terms think "deafening silence," "wise fool" or "cruel kindness.". Oxymorons also feature in modern comedy and politics. It makes more sense when you read the thrift in spendthrift as a noun that can refer to the savings that one has accumulated through the careful management of money. There are a number of single-word oxymorons built from "dependent morphemes"[9] (i.e. The juicy bone is a contrast in its own phrasing, as well as a contrasting image with the coffin and the implied corpses bones inside. The first word is usually used to describe the second word in a way that contrasts with it. The word "oxymoron" is itself an oxymoron. Check out the oxymoron definition. (Old news, anyone?) Then check out our in-depth guide to the 31 literary devices you must know. Here are instances in which its effective to use oxymoron in writing: Since most people dont use oxymoron very often when speaking, it does take linguistic skill to create one that is successful. The Ancient Greeks came up with this term for a rhetorical device employing contradiction by combining the word for sharp, keen (oxys) with the aforementioned mros, meaning foolish.. That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but there are certainly more than just a few. (see what we did there? Consider the oxymoron example deafening silence. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points, How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer, Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests. You'll find common figures of speech, plus references to works of classic and pop culture. Why use phrases that don't seem to make logical sense? An oxymoron is a figure of speech that is made up of two or more words that seem to be the opposite of each other or truly are opposite of each other. What Is the Figure of Speech Antiphrasis? Big baby. However, its important that writers dont overuse oxymoron as a literary device. ThoughtCo. | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples When a single word contains two conflicting ideas. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced searchad free! Here are some of the more famous oxymoron examples from historical literature: All the pain he had endured was as nothing compared with the exquisite agony of this. Without, or with, offence to friends or foes. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. One oxymoron example is "deafening silence," which describes a silence that is so overpowering it almost feels deafening, or extremely loudjust as an actual sound would. For example, "virtual reality" consists of contradictory terms that form a new meaning. And, of course, plenty of people use oxymorons intentionally for humorous effect. Oxymoron definition: If you describe a phrase as an oxymoron , you mean that what it refers to combines two. Such a phrase shows that an object can have two different qualities at once, making it a subject for study and analysis. With loads of learned lumber in his head . [7] The word oxymoron is autological, i.e. Oxymoron can enhance drama in writing. the word nascar is an oxymoron. Nordquist, Richard. Feeling 'bumfuzzled' or have the 'collywobbles'?
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