vanquished

Verb
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

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

Completely defeated, conquered, or overcome in battle or conflict; describes fallen foes or crushed armies in epic poetry.

Detailed Definition
Vanquished is a literary or elevated word for having been beaten decisively. In this poem it describes the defeated enemy kneeling beneath the ship’s deck, reinforcing the battle imagery and the ship’s former power.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Her deck, once red with heroes’ blood / Where knelt the vanquished foe” means the defeated enemy; “Vanquished” is the past participle of vanquish, to conquer completely; Homeric and epic traditions frequently oppose victors to the vanquished after battle; “The vanquished city kept singing under ash” shifts attention from military glory to survival and aftermath
Additional Notes
The word appears in a formal, poetic sense in the quoted line and is less common than plain modern words like "defeated."; Found in the poem, Old Ironsides by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
Also Known As
defeated conquered subdued overthrown o'erthrew
Skip to main content