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rumours

Noun
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

Unverified reports, gossip, or stories passed among people; symbolizes uncertainty, public opinion, or anxiety in dramatic poetry.

Detailed Definition
Rumours are stories or reports that circulate without being confirmed. In the poem, being “freed” from rumours suggests a life untouched by gossip or public chatter.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Who hath his life from rumours freed,” treats rumours as circulating, unverified reports; Chaucer and Shakespeare frequently show rumour altering reputation; “rumours flew like crows above the town” personifies public talk; a contemporary poem may trace rumours through group chats and headlines
Additional Notes
The noun in “rumours freed” is common in modern spelling, but the poem uses it in a more old literary sense of public gossip and report.; Found in the poem, The Character of a Happy Life by Sir Henry Wotton
Also Known As
whispers hearsay gossip
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