paralepsis

3 definitions found

paralepsis - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Paraleipsis \Par`a*leip"sis\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ?, fr. ? to leave
     on one side, to omit; para` beside + ? to leave.] (Rhet.)
     A pretended or apparent omission; a figure by which a speaker
     artfully pretends to pass by what he really mentions; as, for
     example, if an orator should say, "I do not speak of my
     adversary's scandalous venality and rapacity, his brutal
     conduct, his treachery and malice." [Written also
     paralepsis, paralepsy, paralipsis.]
     [1913 Webster]

  Paralepsis \Par`a*lep"sis\, n. [NL.]
     See Paraleipsis.
     [1913 Webster]

paralepsis - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  paralepsis
      n 1: suggesting by deliberately concise treatment that much of
           significance is omitted [syn: paralepsis, paraleipsis,
           paralipsis, preterition]