A metrical foot in poetry consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (da-DUM), as in 'to BE or NOT to BE.'
From Greek 'iambos,' possibly from 'iaptein' (to assail), because iambic verse was originally used for satire and mockery. Shakespeare's heartbeat: da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM.
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