asyndeton

[In Ger. asyndeton. From Gr. ἀσύνδετον ( asundeton ), neut. of adj. ἀσύνδετος ( asundetos ) = (1) unconnected, (2) without conjunction; a, priv., and σύνδετος (sundetos) = bound together; συνδέω ( sundeo ) = to bind together.] Gram. A figure in which the copulative conjunction and is omitted in a sentence, as in Lat. Veni, vid i, vic i, "I came, I saw, I conquered," instead of Veni , vid i, et vic i, "I came, I saw, and I conquered." In most cases, as in that now given, the omi ion of the copulative gives increased force to the statement or sentiment embodied in the sentence. It is opposed to POLYSYNDETON (q.v.). *a-sy'se, s. [ASSIZE.] at, * atte, * at'-ěn, prep . & adv. [A.S. æt , at (1) at, by, near, to, next, with, against, in, (2) of, from. In Sw. at = (1) sign of the infinit. mood, (2) that; Dan. att (same meaning), ad to; O. Sw., O. Icel., O. Dan., O. L. Ger., and Goth. at at; O. Fris. et ; O. H. Ger. az , ez ; Wel. at = to; Lat. ad = to (AD); Sansc. adhi upon.] A. As preposition : I. Denoting nearne to in place or in time. 1. Denoting nearne in place, i.e., that a person or thing is at rest in proximity to a certain place. As a rule, the proximity is not so great as that indicated by on, and considerably le than that designated by in . (a) In immediate proximity to. "This custom continued among many, to say their prayers at fountains."- Stilling fleet . (b) In, within; occupying as a habitation. (Lit. & fig .) the at here tabernacle was." Story of Gen. & Exod. (ed. Morris), 3,790. whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord."-2 Cor. v. 6. (c) On; upon. "Their various news I heard, of love and strife, Of storms at sea, and travels on the shore."-Pope. (d) In a position, attitude, state, or condition, as at gaze = in a gazing attitude. [GAZE.] (In this sense it is sometimes followed by a superlative.) "We bring into the world with us a poor, needy, uncertain life, short at the longest, and unquiet at the best."- Temple . 2. Denoting nearne in time. " At the same time that the storm beats upon the whole species, we are falling foul upon one another."Add is on. II. Denoting motion towards any person, place, or thing, in place or in time; denoting also motion through any place. 1. Literally : (a) Denoting motion towards the place where a person or thing is, a verb being understood, as, "Up, guards, and at them," an exclamation popularly attributed to Wellington at Waterloo. (Colloquial, and often with a tinge of the ludicrous.) (b) Denoting motion through a place. "Here, push them out at gates." Tennyson: The Prince , iv. 2. Fig .: Denoting effort to realise an aim. "We find some arrived to that sottishne , as to own roundly what they would be at . "-South. imity of one person or thing to another in place and in time; causation, operation upon. 1. With the preposition prefixed to the source from which this emanates: (a) In consequence of. " At his touch, Such sanctity hath heaven given his hand, They presently amend." Shakesp.: Macbeth , iv. 3. "They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ." Job xxi. 12. (b) On. "Others, with more helpful care, Cry'd out, aloud, 'Beware, brave youth, beware!' At this he turned." Dryden : 1 Cong. of Gran., i. L. (c) Under. "But thou, of all the kings, Jove's care below. Art least at my command, and most my foe." Dryden: Homer; Iliad 1. (d) From; of. "Mai he no leue at hire taken." Story of Gen. & Exod . (ed. Morris), 2,697. 2. With the preposition prefixed to that which is operated upon : To, into. "So cam on werlde wreche and wrake, For to bli en swilc sinnes same, That it ne wexe at more hun-frame" Story of Gen. & Exodus (ed. Morris), 552-4. Sometimes when at occurs in O. Eng. and Scotch it is at the atte is a contraction for at the, and atten for at then , then , being the dative case of the A.S. article. IMG:content-0848.png:[blocks in formation] 3. At arms: Furnished with arms. (Used only in the phrase, "a man at arms "= a man furnished with arms.) "Infuse his breast with magnanimity, And make him, naked, foil a man at arms ." Shakesp.: 3 Henry VI ., V. 4. 4. At a ' will ( Scotch ): To the utmost that one could wish. (Jamie son.) 5. At end. [ATTE ENDE.] 6. At first : At the beginning of any effort, enterprise, or event. 7. At gaze ( Her .). [GAZE.] IMG:content-0849.jpg:[blocks in formation] the hour is at hand- Matt. xxvi. 45. 9. At it : Engaged with it zealously. ( Collo quial .) "To make pleasure the vehicle of health, is a doctor at it in good earnest."-Collier: Friendship. 10. At large : (a) Not under any restraint. "Hence walk'd the fiend at large in spacious field." Milton: P. L. , bk. iii. (b) Copiously, diffusely, at length. 11. At last , atte laste : Denoting that an event long foreseen and expected has, after much delay, happened. "And hath so long a lyf, as we may see, Yet atte laste wasted is the tree. 12. At length: Chaucer: C. T. , 3,021-2. (a) In an extended form; diffusely. (b) The same as AT LAST (q.v.). 13. At once; all at once : (a) Without any delay; promptly, as opposed to dilatorily; or at one operation, as opposed to a series of acts or efforts. "One warms you by degrees, the other sets you on fire all at once."-Dryden: Fables. (Pref.) (b) At one time; at the same moment; simultaneously. 14. At pleasure: To any extent, in any place, or in any way that one prefers, with uncontrolled freedom; ad libitum . "The rest, for whom no lot is yet decreed, May run in pastures, and at pleasure feed." Dryden: Virgil; George iii. 258. 15. At the trouble : Prepared to take the trouble. "What they will not be at the trouble to deduce by reasoning."-Arbuthnot. *at-anis, *atanis, *at-enes, *atenes (Old Eng .), atanis, attanis, atanys, atainze ( Scotch ), adv. [O. Eng. at ; anis = once.] At once. "Baith irne and steil, and flesch and ban is, His awne hand straik in twa atanis ." Ratis Raving, bk. i. (ed. Lumby), 1,100-01. "Speche, grace, and vois schul springe of thi tonge, And alle turne to thi mouth holliche atenes . Joseph of Arimathie (ed. Skeat), 50, 51 *at erst, at earst. [Eng. at , and A.S. ærst, from ærost, ærest first, superl. of ær = ere, before.] Properly "at first," for the first time; but sometimes means also "at present," and in certain cases may, with advantage to the sense, even be rendered "at last," "at length." [ERST.] "For from the golden age, that first was named, It's now at earst, became a stonie one." Spenser: F. Q., V., Introd., 12 at one, atone, * at oon, adv . [Eng. at; one.] Used as adj . at one, specially in feeling, in unity with, in agreement or harmony with instead of being at variance. [ΑΤΟΝΕ, ν., ΑTONEMENT.] "If gentil men, or other of hir contré, Were wroth, sche wolde brynge hem at oon , So wyse and rype wordes hadde sche, And juggement of so gret equité." Chaucer: C. T., 8,312-15. "So beene they both at one , and doen upreare Thur bevers bright each other for to greet, Goodly compourtaunce each to other beare." Spenser: F. Q., II. 1. 29. "And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren,.."- Acts vii. 26. * at-our, adv . Over and above. with hyrdis of catell, and multitud of corne at-our al thaim tat was befor me in Jerusalem." The Wisdom of Solomon (ed. Lumby), 411, 412. *ăt, pro. [Contr. from Eng. that (pro.) (q.v.).] Who, which, that. ( Eng. & Scotch.) "For in ensampill thare-of he gaif to the maist synare maist mercy and grace, as to Petyr at denyd hyme." The Craft of Deyng (ed. Lumby), 97, 98. "He salle hi me [gather] garlands of the gay flowrys, At in that sesoune spred is so fayre. Early Scottish Vers , iv. (ed. Lumby), 46, 47. *ăt, * atte, conj . [Contr. from Eng. that (conj.) (q.v.).] That. (O. Eng . & Scotch .) "Thai come tille him that ilk night Atte thai sulde on the morne fight." How the Hali Cros was Fundin be Seint Elaine (ed. Morris), 41, 42 "He has the halghed at mast con ken, And the salle mensk al cristen men. *at, pret. of v. [ATE.] Ibid . , 211, 212