aposiopesis

Definitions

An abrupt breaking-off in speech, often indicated in print using an ellipsis (…) or an em dash (—).

countable, rhetoric, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“—"My ſiſter, mayhap," quoth my uncle Toby, "does not chooſe to let⟳ a man come⟳ ſo near her ****" Make⟳ this daſh—'tis an Apoſiopeſis.—Take⟳ the daſh away, and write⟳ Backſide,—'tis Bawdy.”

“Aposiopesis leaves imperfect sense⟳; And, sometimes, such a pause speaks eloquence.”

““If you are not—” The aposiopesis was icy.”

““Have⟳ fire in this garret before night or—” / He stopped because he could not go on. It was an aposiopesis of the purest kind.”

“This somewhat abrupt ending (or aposiopesis) is caused by a previous movement from the figure⟳ on the bed.”

CEFR level