Allusion
noun
An indirect reference to something.
Her speech included an allusion to her past experiences.
Often appears as...
- make an allusion
- subtle allusion
Usage tips
Literary
noun
An indirect reference to something.
Her speech included an allusion to her past experiences.
Often appears as...
- make an allusion
- subtle allusion
Usage tips
Literary
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Cultural Familiarity
Understanding the reference allusion makes often requires knowledge of the culture from which it originates.
The book made an allusion to a famous Shakespearean play that not everyone understood.
Pro Tip 2/3Subtlety Key
An allusion is usually subtle, so it does not explicitly mention the thing it refers to.
The song’s lyrics contained an allusion to a historic event without naming it.
Pro Tip 3/3Recognition Challenge
Detecting an allusion may be challenging and can be missed if you're not familiar with the subject.
I missed the allusion to the myth because I hadn't read it yet.
Pro Tip 1/3Cultural Familiarity
Understanding the reference allusion makes often requires knowledge of the culture from which it originates.
The book made an allusion to a famous Shakespearean play that not everyone understood.
Pro Tip 2/3Subtlety Key
An allusion is usually subtle, so it does not explicitly mention the thing it refers to.
The song’s lyrics contained an allusion to a historic event without naming it.
Pro Tip 3/3Recognition Challenge
Detecting an allusion may be challenging and can be missed if you're not familiar with the subject.
I missed the allusion to the myth because I hadn't read it yet.
Pro Tip 1/3Cultural Familiarity
Understanding the reference allusion makes often requires knowledge of the culture from which it originates.
The book made an allusion to a famous Shakespearean play that not everyone understood.
Pro Tip 2/3Subtlety Key
An allusion is usually subtle, so it does not explicitly mention the thing it refers to.
The song’s lyrics contained an allusion to a historic event without naming it.
Pro Tip 3/3Recognition Challenge
Detecting an allusion may be challenging and can be missed if you're not familiar with the subject.
I missed the allusion to the myth because I hadn't read it yet.
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Video examples
Why should you read...
Some people find it impenetrable without a full book of annotations to help them understand what Joyce is even talking about. But there's a lot of joy to be found in reading it, more than just unpacking allusions and solving puzzles.
Video examples
Why Are Zebras Black and...
these traits do seem a little bit sneaking on the African plains survival is uncertain the struggle to find enough food avoid predation and despite the elements succeed is testing even for the most resilient of species from allusions
Video examples
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: How...
What I want to do this morning is share with you a couple of stories and talk about a different Africa. Already this morning there were some allusions to the Africa that you hear about all the the Africa of HIV/AIDS,
Video examples
Why should you read...
Some people find it impenetrable without a full book of annotations to help them understand what Joyce is even talking about. But there's a lot of joy to be found in reading it, more than just unpacking allusions and solving puzzles.
Video examples
Why Are Zebras Black and...
these traits do seem a little bit sneaking on the African plains survival is uncertain the struggle to find enough food avoid predation and despite the elements succeed is testing even for the most resilient of species from allusions
Video examples
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: How...
What I want to do this morning is share with you a couple of stories and talk about a different Africa. Already this morning there were some allusions to the Africa that you hear about all the the Africa of HIV/AIDS,
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
Caleb Cushing
American Diplomat
Sir, allusion has been made, in an early stage of this debate, to the history of the excitement which once pervaded a considerable part of the country, in reference to the transportation of the mails on the Lord's day.
Quote examples
Amy Waldman
American Author
Religious speech is extreme, emotional, and motivational. It is anti-literal, relying on metaphor, allusion, and other rhetorical devices, and it assumes knowledge within a community of believers.
Quote examples
Gregory Benford
American Physicist
The Matrix itself is not some external evil, but rather an outcome of our own error, our karmic payoff of past actions. Not merely illusion, it is an allusion to a founding myth of our culture.
Quote examples
Howard Jacobson
British Novelist
It's a weakness of mine to forget what it is I've just been talking about so that when people make witty allusions to it, I stare at them open-mouthed, not knowing what they're talking about.
Quote examples
Ephraim Mirvis
South African Clergyman
Words make a world of difference. Over time, they become charged with inference and allusion and, deployed effectively, they have the power to change the very fabric of our civilisation.
Quote examples
Richard Dawkins
English Scientist
Christopher Hitchens was a writer and an orator with a matchless style, commanding a vocabulary and a range of literary and historical allusion far wider than anybody I know.
Quote examples
Matthew Sweet
American Musician
I had no allusions of radio success. I just loved being in studios. I was having fun and in that sense I now feel a lot like I did when I did that record.
Quote examples
K. Flay
American Musician
Hip-hop is rich in musical allusion. It takes something that already existed, respects it, and reuses it.
Quote examples
Clifton Fadiman
American Writer
I think we must quote whenever we feel that the allusion is interesting or helpful or amusing.
Quote examples
Jamila Woods
American Musician
I like to borrow forms and quotes and use a lot of allusions, in both poetry and music.
Quote examples
Caleb Cushing
American Diplomat
Sir, allusion has been made, in an early stage of this debate, to the history of the excitement which once pervaded a considerable part of the country, in reference to the transportation of the mails on the Lord's day.
Quote examples
Amy Waldman
American Author
Religious speech is extreme, emotional, and motivational. It is anti-literal, relying on metaphor, allusion, and other rhetorical devices, and it assumes knowledge within a community of believers.
Quote examples
Gregory Benford
American Physicist
The Matrix itself is not some external evil, but rather an outcome of our own error, our karmic payoff of past actions. Not merely illusion, it is an allusion to a founding myth of our culture.
Quote examples
Howard Jacobson
British Novelist
It's a weakness of mine to forget what it is I've just been talking about so that when people make witty allusions to it, I stare at them open-mouthed, not knowing what they're talking about.
Quote examples
Ephraim Mirvis
South African Clergyman
Words make a world of difference. Over time, they become charged with inference and allusion and, deployed effectively, they have the power to change the very fabric of our civilisation.
Quote examples
Richard Dawkins
English Scientist
Christopher Hitchens was a writer and an orator with a matchless style, commanding a vocabulary and a range of literary and historical allusion far wider than anybody I know.
Quote examples
Matthew Sweet
American Musician
I had no allusions of radio success. I just loved being in studios. I was having fun and in that sense I now feel a lot like I did when I did that record.
Quote examples
K. Flay
American Musician
Hip-hop is rich in musical allusion. It takes something that already existed, respects it, and reuses it.
Quote examples
Clifton Fadiman
American Writer
I think we must quote whenever we feel that the allusion is interesting or helpful or amusing.
Quote examples
Jamila Woods
American Musician
I like to borrow forms and quotes and use a lot of allusions, in both poetry and music.
Example 1 of 10
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