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Dispondee

Meter
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

A metrical foot consisting of four long syllables (– – – –)

Detailed Definition
A Dispondee is a metrical foot consisting of two consecutive spondees (¯ ¯ ¯ ¯), creating an exceptionally heavy, emphatic rhythm; rare in sustained use, it appears for dramatic effect in classical and English verse to convey weight, solemnity, or obstruction, as in the opening of Milton’s “Samson Agonistes” or the hammering lines of war poetry that mimic artillery or labor.
Example
Example in poetry:
Dispondee: "Two stressed syllables replacing expected pattern: 'HEART STOP' in iambic line"; "Used for dramatic emphasis: 'BLACK NIGHT' amid softer sounds"; "Disrupts meter to signal crisis or climax"; "Rare in English—creates jarring, urgent effect"; "Example: 'COME NOW' in otherwise flowing verse"
Additional Notes
Dispondee is a double spondee—a metrical foot of four stressed syllables—used for emphatic, weighty effects; extremely rare in sustained use but appears for dramatic emphasis in classical or experimental verse.
Also Known As
Double spondee Paired heavy feet Four-long measure Quadruple length Double-long foot
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