erotesis

Definitions

A figure of speech whereby a question is asked in confident expectation of a negative answer.

rhetoric

Examples

“he would ſometimes break⟳ off in a ſudden and ſpirited Epiphonema, or rather Erotesis […] and demand⟳ it categorically of his antagoniſt, Whether he would take⟳ upon him to ſay, he had ever remember'd,—whether he had ever read⟳,–or even whether he had ever heard tell⟳ of a man, call'd Tristram, performing any thing great or worth recording?–No–, he would ſay,–Tristram!–The thing is impoſſible.”

“By Erotesis, what we know⟳ we ask⟳, Prescribing, for effect, a needless task.”

CEFR level