Syllepsis

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Syllepsis \Syl*lep"sis\, n. [L., fr. Gr. sy`llhpsis a taking
     together, from ?. See {syllable}, n.]
     1. (Rhet.) A figure of speech by which a word is used in a
        literal and metaphorical sense at the same time.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     2. (Gram.) The agreement of a verb or adjective with one,
        rather than another, of two nouns, with either of which it
        might agree in gender, number, etc.; as, rex et regina
        beati.
        [1913 Webster] Sylleptic

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  syllepsis
       n : use of a word to govern two or more words though agreeing in
           number or case etc. with only one
       [also: {syllepses} (pl)]