fable — Dizionario inglese

Sostantivo

1. A fictitious narrative intended to enforce some useful truth or precept, usually with animals, etc. as characters; an apologue. Prototypically, Aesop's Fables.

   Sinonimi

   morality play

2. Any story told to excite wonder; common talk; the theme of talk.

   Sinonimi

   legend

   Esempi

   But refuſe prophane and olde wiues fables, and exerciſe thy ſelfe rather vnto godlineſſe.

   […]we grew / The fable of the city where we dwelt.

3. Fiction; untruth; falsehood.

   Esempi

   I say it would look like a fable to report that this gentleman gives away all which is the overplus of a great fortune by secret methods to other men.

4. The plot, story, or connected series of events forming the subject of an epic or dramatic poem.

   Esempi

   Altri esempi (1)

   For the moral (as Bossu observes,) is the first business of the poet, as being the groundwork of his instruction. This being formed, he contrives such a design, or fable, as may be most suitable to the moral;

Verbo

1. To compose fables; hence, to write or speak fiction; to write or utter what is not true.

   Uso

   • arcaico
   • intransitivo

   Esempi

   He Fables not, I heare the enemie: / Out ſome light Horſemen, and peruſe their Wings.

   Altri esempi (1)

   Vain now the Tales which fab’ling Poets tell, / That wav’ring Conqueſt ſtill deſires to rove; / In Marlbrô’s Camp the Goddeſs knows to dwell: / Long as the Hero’s Life remains her Love.

   1852, Matthew Arnold, Empedocles on Etna, Act II, in Empedocles on Etna and Other Poems, London: B. Fellowes, p. 50, He fables, yet speaks truth.

2. To make up; to devise, and speak of, as true or real; to tell of falsely; to recount in the form of a fable.

   Uso

   • arcaico
   • transitivo

   Sinonimi

   make upinventfeigndevise

   Esempi

   […] erre not that ſo ſhall end / The ſtrife of Glorie: which we mean to win, / Or turn this Heav’n itſelf into the Hell / Thou fableſt […]

   THE Poets Fable, That Apollo being enamoured of Caſſandra, was by her many ſhifts and cunning ſlights ſtill deluded in his Deſire […]

   Altri esempi (1)

   Fabled by the daughters of memory. And yet it was in some way if not as memory fabled it. A phrase, then, of impatience, thud of Blake’s wings of excess.

Sostantivo

1. a deliberately false or improbable account

   Sinonimi

   fabricationfiction

   Termini più generali

   falsehoodfalsityuntruth

2. a short moral story (often with animal characters)

   Sinonimi

   parableallegoryapologue

   Termini più generali

   story

3. a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events

   Sinonimi

   legend

   Termini più generali

   story