Aposiopesis

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˌæpÉ™saɪəˈpiːsɪs/

Origin

From Latin aposiopesis, from Ancient Greek ἀποσιώπησις (aposiopesis), from ἀποσιωπάω (aposiōpaō, "be silent"), from ἀπό (apo, "off, from") + σιωπάω (siōpaō, "to be silent").

Full definition of aposiopesis

Noun

1. (rhetoric) An abrupt breaking-off in speech.
• 1760, w, w:TristramShandy, “My sister, mayhap, quoth my uncle Toby, does not choose to let a man come so near her * * * *” Make this dash,——‘tis an Aposiopesis.—Take the dash away, and write Backside,—’tis Bawdy.
• 1957, w:Samuel Beckett, w, "Have fire in this garret before night or —
  " He stopped because he could not go on. It was an aposiopesis of the purest kind.
• 1982, w, Mantissa, This somewhat abrupt ending (or aposiopesis) is caused by a previous movement from the figure on the bed.

Hypernyms

• brachylogy