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witty conceit

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

An ingenious and often paradoxical metaphor characteristic of metaphysical poetry

Detailed Definition
A witty conceit is an ingenious, often surprising metaphor that links vastly different realms of experience through clever logic or paradox, characteristic of metaphysical poetry; it delights the intellect while revealing unexpected emotional or philosophical truths through its elaborate comparison.
Example
Example in poetry:
Donne’s “The Flea,” where a flea bite becomes a marriage bed; Herbert’s “The Pulley,” where God dispenses gifts like a mechanic; Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress,” where “vegetable love” grows vast; Crashaw’s “The Weeper,” where tears become pearls.
Additional Notes
Witty conceit: An ingenious or surprising poetic comparison, often used by metaphysical poets like Donne.
Also Known As
Ingenious fancy Clever conceit Witty comparison Conceit Metaphysical conceit Conceit Humour Conceit Wit Whit
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