zeugma

(zyo̵̅o̅gmə, zo̵̅o̅g-)

noun

  1. syllepsis
  2. a figure of speech in which a single word, usually a verb or adjective, is syntactically related to two or more words, though having a different sense in relation to each (Ex.: The room was not light, but his fingers were)

Origin: L < Gr, lit., yoke

Related Forms:

See zeugma in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. Syllepsis.
  2. A construction in which one word or phrase is understood to be related to two or more other words or phrases, while being grammatically consistent with only one of them, as with subject-verb agreement in She was upstairs, and her children downstairs.

Origin:

Origin: Latin

Origin: , from Greek, a joining, bond; see yeug- in Indo-European roots

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