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virginity

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

Virginity refers to the state of never having engaged in sexual intercourse.

Detailed Definition
In the poem, 'virginity' symbolizes purity and innocence, which the speaker suggests will be lost to time and decay. The reference to 'long-preserved virginity' highlights the tension between desire and the inevitable passage of time, as well as the societal values placed on chastity. Marvell's use of this term underscores the urgency of seizing love and pleasure before they are lost forever.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Then worms shall try / That long-preserved virginity” in Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress” makes bodily purity vulnerable to time and death; the word may denote chastity, sexual inexperience, or figurative untouchedness; “The snow’s virginity vanished beneath the first boot” uses it metaphorically for unspoiled condition; contemporary poems may challenge the social pressure and ownership implied by the term
Additional Notes
The concept of 'virginity' is often discussed in cultural and historical contexts, making it a term that may require clarification for some readers.; Found in the poem, To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell
Also Known As
purity chastity innocence modesty maidenhead
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