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strained figure

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

A rhetorical figure stretched beyond natural logic or clarity, resulting in obscurity, implausibility, or strained effect that may undermine rather than enhance meaning.

Detailed Definition
A strained figure is a metaphor or simile that feels forced, unnatural, or overly elaborate, often disrupting poetic coherence; while sometimes used deliberately for ironic or baroque effect, it is generally criticized for prioritizing cleverness over organic connection or emotional truth.
Example
Example in poetry:
A strained figure forces an unnatural or awkward metaphor: “Her eyes were twin supernovas birthing galaxies of longing” (overly cosmic for human emotion); “His grief was a quantum entanglement spanning multiverses” (scientific jargon misapplied poetically); “The teacup sighed like a dying civilization” (exaggerated personification); “My love is a spreadsheet of eternal devotion” (incongruous modern metaphor in lyrical context).
Additional Notes
A strained figure is a figure of speech (metaphor, simile, conceit) that is forced, awkward, or far-fetched and therefore fails to successfully illuminate or connect the two things being compared; often a mark of overwrought or ineffective poetry.
Also Known As
Overstrained figure excessive trope strained rhetorical device Catachresis
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