Word of the Day
Via Neil Gaiman, two fantastic new (to me) words: zeugma and syllepsis. Jed Hartman offers some fun examples:
- He fished for compliments and trout.
- He stole the show and my wallet.
- I grew alfalfa and bored.
- He bit the bullet, her hand, and the dust.
- She bought the 1994 election, an antique cereal bowl, and the farm.
- He drowned his sorrows and his cat.
- He screwed up the assignment and over his partner.
- She came up through the ranks, over last night, repeatedly, and to realize the error of her ways.
Readers of his column also contributed some zeugmata of their own:
- They abandoned all pretense and their cat.
- The men advanced under the command of Sergeant Snorkel, the cover of darkness, and the enemy's noses.
- He aimed to please and at the target.
- He answered the phone, the question, and to "Bill".
Posted by rv at January 12, 2004 10:57 AM to word