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Fillip

Device
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

Something that serves as a stimulus or boost to poetic expression

Detailed Definition
Fillip in poetry denotes a sudden, light stimulus—often a witty turn of phrase, unexpected rhyme, or ironic twist—that jolts the reader into new awareness; derived from the flick of a finger, it functions as a micro-moment of surprise or delight within an otherwise steady lyrical flow.
Example
Example in poetry:
Fillip: A fillip in poetry is a sudden twist or stimulus; in Philip Larkin’s “This Be The Verse,” the opening line “They fuck you up, your mum and dad” provides a jarring fillip that disrupts decorum.
Additional Notes
Fillip: A light snap or stimulus; in poetry, a sudden twist, witty turn, or provocative image that animates the verse—e.g., the closing couplet of a satirical poem.
Also Known As
Poetic impulse Stimulus device Spark element Catalytic gesture A shot in the arm
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