fable — 英語辞典

名詞

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

   同義語

   morality play

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

   同義語

   legend

   例文

   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.

   例文

   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.

   例文

   その他の例文 (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;

動詞

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

   用法

   • 古語
   • 自動詞

   例文

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

   その他の例文 (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.

   用法

   • 古語
   • 他動詞

   同義語

   make upinventfeigndevise

   例文

   […] 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 […]

   その他の例文 (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.

名詞

1. a deliberately false or improbable account

   同義語

   fabricationfiction

   上位語

   falsehoodfalsityuntruth

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

   同義語

   parableallegoryapologue

   上位語

   story

3. a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events

   同義語

   legend

   上位語

   story