| syllogismus | |
| syl-lo-gis'-mus | from syn, "together" and logos, "reasoning" |
| Also sp. syllogismos | |
| omission of the conclusion | |
 |
The use of a remark or an image which calls upon the audience to draw an obvious conclusion. Like a rhetorical enthymeme, but more compact, and frequently relying on an image. Not to be confused with the "syllogism" of formal logic (see enthymeme). | |
| Examples | ||
| Look at that
man's yellowed fingertips and you just tell me if he's a smoker or not.
And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman?
I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but
she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of
her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came
in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not
anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. —Luke
7:44-46 |
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| Related Figures | ||
| See Also | ||
| Sources: | Cicero De Inv. 1.34; Quintilian 5.14.24 | |
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