释义 |
el·lip·sis \-psə̇s\ noun (plural ellip·ses \-pˌsēz\) Etymology: Greek elleipsis, literally, condition of falling short, defect, from elleipein to leave in, leave out, fall short (from el- — from en in — + leipein to leave) + -sis — more at in, loan 1. : ellipse 2. [Latin, from Greek elleipsis] a. (1) : omission of one or more words that are obviously understood but must be supplied to make a construction grammatically complete (as in “all had turned out as expected” for “all had turned out as had been expected”) < fine examples of Shakespearean compression and ellipsis — F.R.Leavis > < a writer … whose very syntax is warm with the ellipsis of spoken speech — Robert Phelps > < uses ellipsis for poetic and comic effects — Times Literary Supplement > (2) : an instance of such omission : a grammatical construction marked by ellipsis < the poem's striking ellipses offer no impediment to the reader's ear > < a crisp spare style abounding in ellipses > (3) : the practice or use of ellipsis < a writer much given to ellipsis > b. : omission of an element (as from a train of thought or a speech) either fortuitously or for artistic effect : a leap or sudden passage without logical connectives, from one topic to another < a complicated recital … full of grunts and ellipses — Hamilton Basso > < ellipsis of both syntax and sense — Robert Browning > 3. : marks or a mark (as … or *** or ———) showing omission of letters, words, or other material — compare suspension periods |