epitasis

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[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Modern Latin, from Greek ἐπίτασις, from επιτείνειν ‘intensify’, from επι− + τείνειν ‘stretch’.

[edit] Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ɪˈpɪtəsɪs/

[edit] Noun

Singular
epitasis

Plural
epitases

epitasis (plural epitases)

  1. In ancient drama, the second part of a play, in which the action begins.
    • 1760: How my uncle Toby and Corporal Trim managed this matter,—with the history of their camapigns, which were no way barren of events,—may make no uninteresting under-plot in the epitasis and working up of this drama. — Laurence Sterne, The Life & Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman (Penguin 2003, p. 88)
    • 1922: It doubles itself in the middle of his life, reflects itself in another, repeats itself, protasis, epitasis, catastasis, catastrophe. — James Joyce, Ulysses

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