epitasis

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Related terms

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

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

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɪˈpɪtəsɪs/

[edit] Noun

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

[edit] Related terms

• protasis
• catastasis
• catastrophe