Hendiadys

/hɛnˈdaɪ.ədɪs/ noun

Definition

A literary device where two words joined by 'and' are used to express a single idea that would normally be expressed as one word modified by another.

Etymology

From Greek 'hen' (one) plus 'dia' (through) plus 'dys' (two)—literally 'one through two.' The term describes the rhetorical technique of expressing one concept through two coordinated terms.

Kelly Says

When Shakespeare writes 'sound and fury,' he's using hendiadys instead of 'furious sound'—he's splitting one idea into two words to create emphasis and ambiguity that amplifies meaning.

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