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Worn-out trope

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 once-effective literary device rendered stale or clichéd through overuse, losing its original power or surprise.

Detailed Definition
A worn-out trope is a literary device—such as a metaphor, symbol, or plot device—that has lost its original power through overuse, becoming predictable or clichéd; poets are encouraged to revitalize or replace such tropes for originality.
Example
Example in poetry:
Worn-out trope: “Love is a battlefield” cliché; “All the world’s a stage” Shakespearean phrase now common; “Time waits for no one” overused metaphor; “The fool’s gold” as exhausted symbol
Additional Notes
Worn-out trope: A figure of speech, theme, or image that has lost its power or originality due to excessive use; a synonym for cliché or frozen figure (7185); students must avoid these.
Also Known As
Dead metaphor Clichéd trope Fossilized figure Hackneyed device
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