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ape

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

To mimic or imitate in a foolish or servile manner; to behave like a monkey, often suggesting mockery or unthinking copying of others' actions.

Detailed Definition
In archaic poetic usage, “ape” carries moral judgment, suggesting servile or ridiculous imitation. It appears in satires to critique vanity, pretension, or artistic plagiarism. The verb implies lack of originality and moral weakness, often targeting courtiers or false scholars. Its blunt sound and vivid imagery make it effective in caricature, reinforcing themes of authenticity versus deception in Renaissance and Augustan poetry.
Example
Example in poetry:
"He apes the manners of the court, yet lacks their grace," a satirical couplet; In Pope’s Dunciad, dullards "ape the muses" without inspiration; Shakespeare’s Hamlet warns against actors who "ape" emotion without truth; "To ape a king is treason in the heart," writes a Jacobean moralist; The jester aped the bishop, to the scandal of the abbey; She aped the speech of nobles, but her accent betrayed her birth.
Additional Notes
While “ape” as a verb now seems dated, it was a potent metaphor in Renaissance satire for mindless imitation; poets used it to critique courtly flattery or artistic plagiarism, linking mimicry to bestiality and loss of human dignity.
Also Known As
imitate mimic copy
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