hyperbole — [ ipɛrbɔl ] n. f. • yperbole XIIIe; lat. hyperbole, gr. huperbolê, de huper « au dessus » et ballein « lancer » I ♦ Rhét. Figure de style qui consiste à mettre en relief une idée au moyen d une expression qui la dépasse (opposé à litote). ⇒ … Encyclopédie Universelle
hyperbole — early 15c., from L. hyperbole, from Gk. hyperbole exaggeration, extravagance, related to hyperballein to throw over or beyond, from hyper beyond + bole a throwing, a casting, the stroke of a missile, bolt, beam, from bol , nom. stem of ballein to … Etymology dictionary
Hyperbole — Hy*per bo*le, n. [L., fr. Gr?, prop., an overshooting, excess, fr. Gr. ? to throw over or beyond; ype r over + ? to throw. See {Hyper }, {Parable}, and cf. {Hyperbola}.] (Rhet.) A figure of speech in which the expression is an evident… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Hypérbŏlē — (griech.), Hyperbel (s. d.); hyperbolisch, übertreibend; hyperbolisieren, in Hyperbeln reden, übertreiben … Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon
hyperbole — I noun aggrandizement, amplification, enhancement, enlargement, exaggeration, extravagance, magnification, overemphasis, overenlargement, overstatement II index bombast, caricature, distortion, exaggeration … Law dictionary
hyperbole — *exaggeration, overstatement … New Dictionary of Synonyms
hyperbole — pronounced hiy per bǝ li, is a figure of speech involving an exaggerated statement that is not meant to be taken literally, e.g. a thousand apologies. It should not be confused with hyperbola, pronounced hiy per bǝ lǝ, a term in geometry … Modern English usage
hyperbole — [n] exaggeration amplification, big talk*, coloring*, distortion, embellishment, embroidering, enlargement, hype*, laying it on thick*, magnification, metaphor, mountain out of molehill*, overstatement, PR*, tall talk*; concept 268 Ant.… … New thesaurus
hyperbole — ► NOUN ▪ deliberate exaggeration, not meant to be taken literally. DERIVATIVES hyperbolical adjective hyperbolically adverb. ORIGIN Greek huperbol excess , from ballein to throw … English terms dictionary
hyperbole — [hī pʉr′bə lē] n. [L < Gr: see HYPERBOLA] exaggeration for effect and not meant to be taken literally (Ex: He s as strong as an ox.) … English World dictionary
hyperbole — (i per bo l ) s. f. 1° Figure de rhétorique qui consiste à augmenter ou à diminuer excessivement la vérité des choses pour qu elle produise plus d impression. • Parlons sans hyperbole et sans plaisanterie, DUCLOS Sat. X. • Et bientôt vous… … Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré
