Fable

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -eɪbÉ™l

Origin

From Middle English, from Old French fable, from Latin fabula, from fari ("to speak, say"). See Ban, and compare fabulous, fame.

Full definition of fable

Noun

1. A fictitious narrative intended to enforce some useful truth or precept, usually with animals, birds etc as characters; an apologue. Prototypically, Aesop's Fables.
2. Any story told to excite wonder; common talk; the theme of talk.
• First Epistle to Timothy 4:7,Old wives' fables.
• Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson,We grew
  The fable of the city where we dwelt.
3. Fiction; untruth; falsehood.
• Joseph Addison,It would look like a fable to report that this gentleman gives away a great fortune by secret methods.
4. The plot, story, or connected series of events forming the subject of an epic or dramatic poem.
• DrydenThe moral is the first business of the poet; this being formed, he contrives such a design or fable as may be most suitable to the moral.

Synonyms

• (fiction to enforce a useful precept) morality play
• (story to excite wonder) legend
• (falsehood)

Verb

1. (intransitive, archaic) To compose fables; hence, to write or speak fiction ; to write or utter what is not true.
• Shakespeare, 1 Henry VI, IV-ii:He Fables not.
• Matthew Prior:Vain now the tales which fabling poets tell.
• Matthew Arnold:He fables, yet speaks truth.
2. (transitive, archaic) To feign; to invent; to devise, and speak of, as true or real; to tell of falsely.
• John Milton:The hell thou fablest.