Hyperbole

Hyperbole
Hyperbole Hy*per"bo*le, n. [L., fr. Gr?, prop., an overshooting, excess, fr. Gr. ? to throw over or beyond; "ype`r over + ? to throw. See {Hyper-}, {Parable}, and cf. {Hyperbola}.] (Rhet.) A figure of speech in which the expression is an evident exaggeration of the meaning intended to be conveyed, or by which things are represented as much greater or less, better or worse, than they really are; a statement exaggerated fancifully, through excitement, or for effect. [1913 Webster]

Our common forms of compliment are almost all of them extravagant hyperboles. --Blair. [1913 Webster]

Somebody has said of the boldest figure in rhetoric, the hyperbole, that it lies without deceiving. --Macaulay.


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • hyperbole — [ ipɛrbɔl ] n. f. • yperbole XIIIe; lat. hyperbole, gr. huperbolê, de huper « au dessus » et ballein « lancer » I ♦ Rhét. Figure de style qui consiste à mettre en relief une idée au moyen d une expression qui la dépasse (opposé à litote). ⇒ …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • hyperbole — early 15c., from L. hyperbole, from Gk. hyperbole exaggeration, extravagance, related to hyperballein to throw over or beyond, from hyper beyond + bole a throwing, a casting, the stroke of a missile, bolt, beam, from bol , nom. stem of ballein to …   Etymology dictionary

  • Hypérbŏlē — (griech.), Hyperbel (s. d.); hyperbolisch, übertreibend; hyperbolisieren, in Hyperbeln reden, übertreiben …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • hyperbole — I noun aggrandizement, amplification, enhancement, enlargement, exaggeration, extravagance, magnification, overemphasis, overenlargement, overstatement II index bombast, caricature, distortion, exaggeration …   Law dictionary

  • hyperbole — *exaggeration, overstatement …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • hyperbole — pronounced hiy per bǝ li, is a figure of speech involving an exaggerated statement that is not meant to be taken literally, e.g. a thousand apologies. It should not be confused with hyperbola, pronounced hiy per bǝ lǝ, a term in geometry …   Modern English usage

  • hyperbole — [n] exaggeration amplification, big talk*, coloring*, distortion, embellishment, embroidering, enlargement, hype*, laying it on thick*, magnification, metaphor, mountain out of molehill*, overstatement, PR*, tall talk*; concept 268 Ant.… …   New thesaurus

  • hyperbole — ► NOUN ▪ deliberate exaggeration, not meant to be taken literally. DERIVATIVES hyperbolical adjective hyperbolically adverb. ORIGIN Greek huperbol excess , from ballein to throw …   English terms dictionary

  • hyperbole — [hī pʉr′bə lē] n. [L < Gr: see HYPERBOLA] exaggeration for effect and not meant to be taken literally (Ex: He s as strong as an ox.) …   English World dictionary

  • hyperbole — (i per bo l ) s. f. 1°   Figure de rhétorique qui consiste à augmenter ou à diminuer excessivement la vérité des choses pour qu elle produise plus d impression. •   Parlons sans hyperbole et sans plaisanterie, DUCLOS Sat. X. •   Et bientôt vous… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

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