irony
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Related to irony: dramatic irony
i·ro·ny
(ī′rə-nē, ī′ər-)n. pl. i·ro·nies
1.
a. The use of words to express something different from and often opposite to their literal meaning.
b. An expression or utterance marked by a deliberate contrast between apparent and intended meaning: "the embodiment of the waspish don, from his Oxbridge tweeds to the bone-dry ironies of his speech and prose" (Ron Rosenbaum).
2.
a. Incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs: "Hyde noted the irony of Ireland's copying the nation she most hated" (Richard Kain).
b. An occurrence, result, or circumstance notable for such incongruity: the ironies of fate. See Usage Note at ironic.
3. Dramatic irony.
4. Socratic irony.
[French ironie, from Old French, from Latin īrōnīa, from Greek eirōneia, feigned ignorance, from eirōn, dissembler, perhaps from eirein, to say; see wer- in Indo-European roots, or from eirein, to fasten together in rows, string together; see ser- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
irony
(ˈaɪrənɪ)n, pl -nies
1. the humorous or mildly sarcastic use of words to imply the opposite of what they normally mean
2. an instance of this, used to draw attention to some incongruity or irrationality
3. incongruity between what is expected to be and what actually is, or a situation or result showing such incongruity
4. (Theatre) See dramatic irony
5. (Philosophy) philosophy See Socratic irony
[C16: from Latin ironia, from Greek eirōneia, from eirōn dissembler, from eirein to speak]
irony
(ˈaɪənɪ)adj
of, resembling, or containing iron
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
i•ro•ny
(ˈaɪ rə ni, ˈaɪ ər-)n., pl. -nies.
1. the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning.
4. an outcome of events contrary to what was, or might have been, expected.
5. the incongruity of this.
6. an objectively sardonic style of speech or writing.
7. an objectively or humorously sardonic utterance, disposition, quality, etc.
[1495–1505; < Latin īrōnīa < Greek eirōneía feigned ignorance, false modesty, derivative of eírōn one who hides his or her true knowledge or capabilities]
syn: irony, satire, sarcasm indicate mockery of a person or thing. irony is exhibited in the organization or structure of either language or literary material. It indirectly presents a contradiction between an action or expression and the context in which it occurs. One thing is said and its opposite implied, as in “Beautiful weather, isn't it?” said when it is raining. Ironic literature exploits the contrast between an ideal and an actual condition, as when events turn out contrary to expectations. satire, also a literary and rhetorical form, is the use of ridicule in exposing human vice and folly. Jonathan Swift wrote social and political satires. sarcasm is a harsh and cutting type of humor. Its distinctive quality is present in the spoken word; it is manifested chiefly by vocal inflection. Sarcastic language may have the form of irony, as in “What a fine musician you turned out to be!”, or it may be a direct statement, as in “You couldn't play one piece correctly if you had two assistants!”
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
irony
1. The use of words to mean or imply the opposite of what they usually mean.
2. Using expressions of which the opposite to the literal meaning is intended.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. | irony - witty language used to convey insults or scorn; "he used sarcasm to upset his opponent"; "irony is wasted on the stupid"; "Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own"--Jonathan Swift |
| 2. | irony - incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs; "the irony of Ireland's copying the nation she most hated" incongruity, incongruousness - the quality of disagreeing; being unsuitable and inappropriate Socratic irony - admission of your own ignorance and willingness to learn while exposing someone's inconsistencies by close questioning | |
| 3. | irony - a trope that involves incongruity between what is expected and what occurs antiphrasis - the use of a word in a sense opposite to its normal sense (especially in irony) dramatic irony - (theater) irony that occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play indeed - (used as an interjection) an expression of surprise or skepticism or irony etc.; "Wants to marry the butler? Indeed!" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
irony
noun
1. sarcasm, mockery, ridicule, bitterness, scorn, satire, cynicism, derision, causticity, mordancy She examined his face for a hint of irony, but found none.
2. paradox, ambiguity, absurdity, incongruity, contrariness Opposition parties wasted no time in stressing the irony of the situation.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
سُخْرِيَة الموقِفسُخْرِيَه، تَهَكُّمسُخْرِيَّة
ironie
ironi
ironia
ironija
irónia
írónía, háî, hæînikaldhæîni
皮肉
풍자
ironijaironiškaiironiškas
ironija
ironie
irónia
ironija
ironi
การประชด
sự mỉa mai
irony
[ˈaɪərənɪ] N → ironía fthe irony of fate → las ironías del destino
life's little ironies → las (pequeñas) ironías de la vida
the irony of it is that → lo irónico es que ...
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
irony
[ˈaɪərəni] nCollins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
irony
n → Ironie f no pl; the irony of the situation → das Ironische an der Situation; the irony of it is that … → das Ironische daran ist, dass …, die Ironie liegt darin, dass …; one of the great ironies of history → eine der ironischsten Fügungen der Geschichte; life’s ironies → die Ironie des Lebens; by some irony of fate, he … → durch eine ironische Wendung des Schicksals geschah es, dass er …
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
irony
[ˈaɪərənɪ] n → ironiathe irony of it is that ... → l'ironia maggiore è che...
it's one of life's ironies → è un'ironia della sorte or del destino
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
irony
(ˈaiərəni) – plural ˈironies – noun1. a form of deliberate mockery in which one says the opposite of what is obviously true.
2. seeming mockery in a situation, words etc. The irony of the situation was that he stole the money which she had already planned to give him.
ironic(al) (aiˈronik(l)) adjectiveiˈronically adverb
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
irony
→ سُخْرِيَّة ironie ironi Ironie ειρωνεία ironía ironia ironie ironija ironia 皮肉 풍자 ironie ironi ironia ironia ирония ironi การประชด ince alay sự mỉa mai 讽刺Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
irony - witty language used to convey insults or scorn; "he used sarcasm to upset his opponent"; "irony is wasted on the stupid"; "Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own"--Jonathan Swift