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A word, syllable, or root, consisting of two letters.

A verse wanting two syllables at its termination.

An uncouth or disagreable sound of words, owing to the concurrence of harsh letters or syllables. "Cacophonies of all kinds." Pope.

ommonly near the middle of the verse; a sense pause in the middle of a foot. Also, a long syllable on which the cæsural accent rests, or which is used as a foot.

Wanting a syllable at the end, or terminating in an imperfect foot; as, a catalectic verse.

nch history, real or legendary, and written originally in assonant verse of ten or twelve syllables. The most famous one is the Chanson de Roland.

A verbal or acted enigma based upon a word which has two or more significant syllables or parts, each of which, as well as the word itself, is to be guessed from the descriptions or representations.

nt. We are those which chased you from the field. Shak. Philologists, who chase A panting syllable through time and place. Cowper.

A foot consisting of four syllables, of which the first and last are long, and the other short (- ~ ~ -); that is, a choreus, or trochee, and an iambus united.

A wave of the voice embracing both a rise and fall or a fall and a rise on the same a syllable. Walker.

son; to state positive, comparative, and superlative forms of; as, most adjectives of one syllable are compared by affixing "-er" and "-est" to the positive form; as, black, blacker, blackest; those of more than one syllable are usually compared by prefixing "more" and "most", or "less" and "least", to the positive; as…

Having like sounds. Consonant words and syllables. Howell.

To shorten by omitting a letter or letters or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one.

f two words, by the omission of a letter or letters, or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one; as, ne'er for never; can't for can not; don't for do not; it's for it is.

In Greek grammar, a sign ['] sometimes placed over a contracted syllable. W. W. Goodwin.

A poetic foot, composed of one short syllable between two long ones (-Bentley.

Having, or consisting of, ten syllables.

The separation or resolution of one syllable into two; -- the opposite of synæresis.

A figure by which a syllable naturally short is made long.

A coalition or union of two vowel sounds pronounced in one syllable; as, ou in out, oi in noise; -- called a proper diphthong.