Adjacent Words

Zeugma definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ZEUGMA, n. [Gr., to join. See Yoke.] A figure in grammar by which an adjective or verb which agrees with a nearer word, is by way of supplement, referred to another more remote. Thus in Virgil, Hicillius arma, hic currus fuit; where fuit, which agrees directly with currus, is referred also to arma.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: use of a word to govern two or more words though appropriate to only one; "`Mr. Pickwick took his hat and his leave' is an example of zeugma"

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English zeuma, from Medieval Latin, from Latin zeugma, from Greek, literally, joining, from zeugnynai to join; akin to Latin jungere to join — more at yoke Date: 15th century the use of a word to modify or govern two or more words usually in such a manner that it applies to each in a different sense or makes sense with only one (as in “opened the door and her heart to the homeless boy”)

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. a figure of speech using a verb or adjective with two nouns, to one of which it is strictly applicable while the word appropriate to the other is not used (e.g. with weeping eyes and Etymology: sc. grieving hearts) (cf. SYLLEPSIS). Derivatives: zeugmatic adj. Etymology: L f. Gk zeugma -atos f. zeugnumi to yoke, zugon yoke

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Zeugma Zeug"ma, n. [L., from Gr. ?, fr. ? to yoke, join. See Yoke.] (Gram.) A figure by which an adjective or verb, which agrees with a nearer word, is, by way of supplement, referred also to another more remote; as, ``hic illius arma, hic currus fuit;'' where fuit, which agrees directly with currus, is referred also to arma.