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insidious

Adjective
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

Insidious means proceeding in a gradual, subtle way but with harmful effects.

Detailed Definition
The term insidious describes something that is treacherous or deceitful, often in a way that is not immediately obvious. In the context of the poem, it characterizes Love as a deceptive force that lures the speaker into emotional turmoil, highlighting the dangers of romantic entanglements that may seem benign at first.
Example
Example in poetry:
"Tempt me no more, insidious Love" (treacherous, stealthily harmful); "An insidious disease spread unseen" (medical); "The insidious whispers of doubt" (psychological); "Insidious flattery that corrupts the soul" (moral); "The insidious creep of time" (philosophical)
Additional Notes
The word 'insidious' is used to describe Love, emphasizing its deceptive and harmful nature.; Found in the poem, The Complaint by Mark Akenside
Also Known As
treacherous cunning plot deceitful snare subtle betrayal
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