Figures of Speech Used in the Bible

E.W. Bullinger

Preface
by Wolfgang Schneider (editor)

The following is taken from E. W. Bullinger's book Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, published in London, 1898. To this day, Bullinger's book on the use of figures of speech in the Bible remains perhaps the most comprehensive study done on this subject. This outline has been adapted from an old printed version.
For some of the figures more details will be given; although these will incorporate some information from E.W. Bullinger's book, they are not directly taken or quoted from the book. The material contained in these details is selected and edited by the BibelCenter. I pray that we'll eventually have details on all the figures listed.

Classification

  1. Figures involving Omission
    1. Affecting words
    2. Affecting the sense
  2. Figures involving Addition
    1. Affecting words
    2. Affecting the sense, by way of
      • Repetition
      • Amplification
      • Description
      • Conclusion
      • Interposition
      • Reasoning
  3. Figures involving Change
    1. Affecting the meaning and usage of words
    2. Affecting the order and arrangement of words
    3. Affecting the application of words, as to
      • Sense
      • Person
      • Subject matter
      • Time
      • Feeling
      • Reasoning

Listing of Figures

1. Figures involving Omission

  1. Affecting words
    • ELLIPSIS
    • ZEUGMA : or, Unequal Yoke.
      • PROTOZEUGMA: or, Ante-yoke (INJUNCTUM)
      • MESOZEUGMA : or, Middle-yoke (CONJUNCTUM)
      • HYPOZEUGMA : or, End-yoke
      • SYNEZEUGMENON: or, Connected-yoke (ADJUNCTUM)
    • ASYNDETON: or, No-Ands.
    • APHAERESIS: or, Front-Cut.
    • APOCOPE: or, End-Cut.
  2. Affecting the sense
    • APOSIOPESIS: or, Sudden Silence
    • MEIOSIS: or, a Be-littleing.
    • TAPEINOSIS: or, Demeaning.
    • CATABASIS
    • SYLLOGISMUS: or, Omission of the Conclusion
    • ENTHYMEMA : or, Omission of the Premiss

2. Figures involving Addition

  1. Affecting Words
    1. Repetition of letters and syllables
      • HOMOEOPROPHERON: or Alliteration.
      • HOMOEOTELEUTON: or, Like Endings.
      • HOMOEOPTOTON : or, Like Inflections.
      • PAROMOEOSIS: or, Like-Sounding Inflections.
      • ACROSTICHION: or, Acrostic.
    2. Repetition of the same word
      • EPIZEUXIS : or, Duplication.
      • ANAPHORA: or, Like-Sentence Beginnings.
      • EPANALEPSIS: or, Resumption.
      • POLYSYNDETON: or, Many-Ands.
      • PARADIASTOLE: Neithers and Nors.
      • EPISTROPHE: or, Like Sentence-Endings.
      • EPIPHOZA: or, Epistrophe in Argument
      • EPANADIPLOSIS: or, Encircling.
      • EPADIPLOSIS: or, Repeated Epanadiplosis
      • ANADIPLOSIS: or, Like Sentence-Endings and Beginnings.
      • CLIMAX : or, Gradation.
      • MESARCHIA: or, Beginning and Middle Repetition.
      • MESODIPLOSIS: or, Middle Repetition.
      • MESOTELEUTON: or, Middle and End Repetition.
      • REPETITIO: or, Repetition.
      • POLYPTOTON : or, Many Inflections.
      • ANTANACLASIS: or, Word-Clashing, and
      • PLOCE: or, Word-Folding.
      • SYNOECEIOSIS: or, Cohabitation.
      • SYLLEPSIS: or, Combination.
    3. Repetition of different words
      1. In a similar order (but same sense).
        • SYMPLOCE: or, Intertwining.
      2. In a different order (but same sense).
        • EPANADOS: or, Inversion.
        • ANTIMETABOLE : or Counter-change.
      3. Similar in sound, but different in sense.
        • PAREGMENON: or, Derivation.
        • PARANOMASIA: or Rhyming-Words.
        • PARACHESIS: or, Foreign Paronomasia.
      4. Different in sound, but similar in sense
        • SYNONYMIA: or, Synonymous Words.
        • REPEATED NEGATION: or, Many Noes.
    4. Repetition of sentences and phrases
      • CYCLOIDES: or, Circular Repetition.
      • AMOEBAEON: or, Refrain.
      • COENOTES: or, Combines Repetition.
      • EPIBOLE: or, Overlaid Repetition.
      • SYNANTESIS: or, Introverted Repetition.
    5. Repetition of subjects
      • PARALELLISM: or, Parallel Lines.
      • CORRESPONDENCE.
  2. Affecting the sense, by way of
    1. Repetition (REPETITIO)
      • PROSAPODOSIS: or, Detailing.
      • EPIDIEGESIS: or, Re-Statement.
      • EPEXEGESIS: or, Fuller Explaining.
      • EXERGASIA: or, Working-Out.
      • EPIMONE : or, Lingering,
      • HERMENEIA: or, Interpretation.
      • BATTALOGIA: or, Vain Repetition.
    2. Amplification (AMPLIFICATIO)
      • PLEONASM: or, Redundancy.
      • PERIPHRASIS: or, Circulocution.
      • HYPERBOLE: or, Exaggeration.
      • ANABASIS: or, Gradual Ascent.
      • CATABASIS: or, Gradual Descent.
      • MERISMOS: or, Distribution.
      • SYNATHOESMOS: or, Enumeration.
      • EPITROCHASMOS: or, Summarising.
      • DIEXODOS: or, Expansion.
      • EPITHETON: or, Epithet.
      • SYNTHETON: or, Combination.
      • HORISMOS: or, Definition.
    3. Description (DESCRIPTIO)
      • HYPOTYPOSIS: or, Word-Picture.
      • PROSOPOGRAPHIA: or, Description of Persons.
      • EFFICTIO: or, Word-Portrait
      • CHARACTERISMOS: or, Description of Character.
      • ETHOPOEIA: or, Description of Manners.
      • PATHOPOEIA: or, Description of Feelings.
      • MIMESIS: or, Description of Sayings.
      • PRAGMATOGRAPHIA: or, Description of Actions.
      • CHRONOGRAPHIA: or, Description of Time.
      • PERISTASIS: or, Description of Circumstances.
      • PROTIMESIS: or, Description of Order.
    4. Conclusion (CONCLUSIO)
      • EPICRISIS: or, Judgment.
      • EPITASIS: or, Amplification.
      • ANESIS: or, Abating.
      • EPIPHONEMA: or, Exclamation.
      • PROECTHESIS: or, Justification.
      • EPITHERAPEIA: or, Qualification.
      • EXEMPLUM: or, Example.
      • SYMPERASMA: or, Concluding Summary.
    5. Interposition (INTERPOSITIO)
      • PARENTHESIS: Parenthesis.
      • EPITRECHON: or, Running Along.
      • CATAPLOCE: or, Sudden Exclamation.
      • PAREMBOLE: or, Insertion.
      • INTERJECTIO: or, Interjection.
      • EJACULATIO: or, Ejaculation.
      • HYPOTIMESIS: or, Under-Estimating.
      • ANAERESIS: or, Detraction.
    6. Reasoning (RATIOCINATIO)
      • PARADIEGESIS: or, A Bye-Leading.
      • SUSTENTATIO: or, Suspense.
      • PARALEIPSIS: or, A Passing-By.
      • PROSLEPSIS: or, Assumption.
      • APOPHASIS: or, Insinuation.
      • CATAPHASIS: or, Affirmation.
      • ASTEISMOS: or, Politeness.

3. Figures involving Change

  1. Affecting the meaning of words
    • ENALLAGE: or, Exchange.
    • ANTEMEREIA: or, Exchange of Parts of Speech.
    • ANTIPTOSIS: or, Exchange of Cases.
    • HETEROSIS: or, Exchange of Accident.
    • HYPALLAGE: or, Interchange.
    • METONYMY: or, Change of Noun.
    • METALEPSIS: or, Double Metonymy.
    • SYNECDOCHE: or, Transfer.
    • HENDIADYS: or, Two for One.
    • HENDIATRIS: or, Three for One.
    • CATACHRESIS: or, Incongruity.
    • METALLAGE: or, A Changing Over.
    • ANTONOMASIA: or, Name-Change.
    • EUPHEMISMIS: or, Euphemy.
    • APLIATIO: or, Adjournment.
    • ANTIPHRASIS: or, Permutation.
  2. Affecting the arrangement and order of words
    1. Separate words
      • HYPERBATON: or, Transposition.
      • ANASTROPHE: or, Arraignment.
      • SYLLEPSIS: or, Change in Concord.
      • TIMESIS: or, Mid-Cut.
    2. Sentences and phrases
      • HYSTERON-PROTERON: or, The Last, First.
      • HYSTEROLOGIA: or, The First, Last.
      • HYSTERESIS: or, Subsequent Narration.
      • SIMULTANEUM: or, Insertion.
      • ANTITHESIS: or, Contrast.
      • ENANTIOSIS: or, Contraries.
      • ANACOLUTHON: or, Non-sequence.
  3. Affecting the application of words
    1. As to Sense
      • SIMILE: or, Resemblance.
      • SYNCRISIS: or, Repeated Simile.
      • METAPHOR: or, Representation.
      • HYPOCATASTASIS: or, Implication.
      • ALLEGORY: or, Continued Metaphor and Hypocatastasis.
      • PARABOLA: or, Parable.
      • APOLOGUE: or, Fable.
      • PAROEMIA: or, Proverb.
      • TYPE:
      • SYMBOL:
      • AENIGMA : or, Enigma.
      • POLYONYMIA: or, Many Names.
      • GNOME: or, Quotation.
        • CHREIA
        • NOEMA
        • ACCOMODATIO
      • AMPHIBIOLOGIA: or, Double Meaning.
      • EIRONEIA: or, Irony.
        • ANTIPHRASIS
        • PERMUTATIO
        • SARCASMOS
      • OXYMORON: or, Wise-folly.
      • IDIOMA: or, Idiom.
    2. As to persons
      • PROSOPOPOEIA: or, Personification.
      • ANTIPROSOPOPOEIA: or, Anti-Personification.
      • ANTHROPOPATHEIA: or, Condescension.
      • ANTIMETATHESIS: or, Dialogue.
      • ASSOCIATION: or, Inclusion.
      • APOSTROPHE.
      • PARECBASIS: or, Digression.
    3. As to the subject matter
      • METABASIS: or, Transition.
      • EPANORTHOSIS: or, Correction.
      • AMPHIDIORTHOSIS : or, Double Correction.
      • ATACHORESIS: or, Regression.
    4. As to time
      • PROLEPSIS (AMPLIATIO): or, Anticipation.
    5. As to feeling
      • PATHOPOEIA: or, Pathos.
      • ATEISMOS: or, Urbanity.
      • ANAMNESIS: or, Recalling.
      • BENEDICTIO: or, Blessing.
      • EUCHE: or, Prayer.
      • PARAENETICON, or, Ehortation.
      • OEONISMOS: or, Wishing.
      • THAUMASMOS: or, Wondering.
      • PAEANISMOS : or, Exultation.
      • ASTERISMOS: or, Indicating.
      • ECPHONESIS: or, Exclamation.
      • APORIA: or, Doubt.
      • EPITIMESIS: or, Reprimand.
      • ELEUTHERIA: or, Candour.
      • AGANACTESIS: or, Indignation.
      • APOSIOXIS: or, Detestation.
      • DEPRECATIO: or, Deprecation.
      • DIASYRMOS : or, Raillery.
      • CATAPLEXIS: or, Menace.
      • EXOUTHENISMOS: or, Contempt.
      • MALEDICTO: or, Imprecation.
      • DEASIS: or, Adjuration.
      • CHLEUASMOS: or, Mocking.
    6. As to argumentation
      • EROTESIS: or Interrogating.
      • DIALOGISMOS: or, Dialogue.
      • DIANOEA: or, an Animated Dialogue.
      • AFFIRMATIO: or, Affirmation.
      • NEGATIO: or, Negation.
      • ACCISMUS: Apparent Refusal.
      • AETIOLOGIA : or, Cause Shown.
      • ANTEISAGOSE: or, Counter-Question.
      • ANISTROPHE: or Retort.
      • ANTICATEGORIA: or, Tu Quoque.
      • METASTASIS: or, Counter-Blame.
      • ANACOENOSIS: or, Common Cause.
      • SYNCHORESIS: or, Concession.
      • EPITROPE : or, Admission.
      • PAROMOLOGIA: or, Confession.
      • PROTHERAPEIA: or, Conciliation.
      • PRODIORTHOSIS: or, Warning.
      • POLINODIA: or, Retracting.
      • PROLEPSIS (OCCUPATIO): or, Anticipation.

Note:
The book "Figures of Speech Used in the Bible" (in a reprint) is available from Baker Book House, and can be ordered from Christian Book Distributors.

 Figures of Speech book