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Part and parcel

Idiomatic Phrase
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

Part and parcel|Idiomatic Phrase|An essential or integral component of something larger; indicates that an element cannot be separated from the whole without losing meaning or function.

Detailed Definition
Part and parcel means an essential, inseparable component of something. In poetry, the idiom can describe suffering as part and parcel of love, labour as part of art, risk as part of freedom, or death as part of life. Its legal and practical tone can ground philosophical reflection in common speech. A poet may use it to show that an experience cannot be divided into pleasant and unpleasant elements without losing its truth. It is useful for themes of wholeness and necessity.
Example
Example in poetry:
A poem about exile might say longing is part and parcel of every suitcase; In a craft poem, revision is part and parcel of learning to write well; The phrase means an essential component of something; A poet can use it to join ordinary detail with larger experience.
Additional Notes
Part and parcel means an essential or inseparable component of something. Its paired rhythm gives it legal or formal weight, though it is common in everyday speech. In poetry, it can describe suffering as part of love, labour as part of art, or contradiction as part of human nature. Students should ask whether the phrase reveals genuine integration or excuses harm by treating it as unavoidable.
Also Known As
essential
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