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ebb

Nautical
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

The falling or outgoing tide, when water flows away from the shore.

Detailed Definition
Ebb is the tide of departure, the withdrawal of abundance, the slow recession of support. In poetry, it is the preeminent image of decline, loss, and the waning of vitality—emotional, physical, or spiritual. The ebb of the tide exposes mudflats, wreckage, and previously hidden structures, making it a metaphor for revelation through subtraction, for the truths that appear only when the protective waters of illusion drain away. Poets associate ebb with old age, the fading of empires, and the melancholy of love's retreat, often contrasting its gentle, almost regretful pull with the violence of a storm.
Example
Example in poetry:
Ebb tide in poetry is the preeminent image of decline, loss, and the waning of vitality.; The ebb exposes mudflats, wreckage, and previously hidden structures—a metaphor for revelation through subtraction.; Poets associate ebb with old age, the fading of empires, and the melancholy of love’s retreat.; The ebb’s gentle, almost regretful pull contrasts with the violence of a storm.; In elegy, the ebbing tide carries away the last traces of the departed.; The ebb is the withdrawal of abundance, the slow recession of support.
Additional Notes
Ebb tide, the outgoing flow of water, is a profound and melancholy symbol in poetry for decline, loss, withdrawal, and the waning of vitality. As the tide retreats, it exposes mudflats, hidden wreckage, and previously submerged structures, making it a powerful metaphor for revelation through subtraction—the truths that appear only when the protective waters of illusion drain away. Poets associate the ebb with old age, the fading of empires, the recession of love, and the slow, almost regretful pull of death. Its gradual, rhythmic motion creates a mood of gentle but inevitable loss, contrasting with the violence of a storm. The ebb is a quiet tragedy, a slow departure that leaves the world looking different and emptier.
Also Known As
Ebb tide falling tide outgoing tide reflux wane
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