paradiastole paradiastole
 par-a-di-as'-to-lee from Gk. para, "beside, along" and stolee, "a sending"
curry favell

A figure by which one extenuates something in order to flatter or soothe, or by which one refers to a vice as a virtue.

Example

Said of a proud man: "He is confident"

Related Figures

  • diastole
    To lengthen a vowel or syllable beyond its typical length.
  • meiosis
See Also

Sources: Quintilian 9.3.65; Susenbrotus (1540) 45-46; Peacham (1577) N4v; Putt. (1589) 195 ("paradiastole," "curry favell"); Day 1599 84



Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Gideon O. Burton, Brigham Young University
Please cite "Silva Rhetoricae" (rhetoric.byu.edu)

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