play on words

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English

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Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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Noun

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Examples

"A boiled egg for breakfast is hard to beat."

The word beat in the sentence can be interpreted in either of two ways:

  • "be better than"—giving the sentence the meaning "It is hard for anything to be better than a boiled egg for breakfast," or
  • "mix rapidly"—in which case the sentence would mean "It is hard to rapidly mix a boiled egg in preparation for breakfast."

play on words (plural plays on words)

  1. (idiomatic) A pun, or similar humorous use of language such as a double entendre.
    Synonym: paronomasia
    • 1794, Mr. Malone's Edition of Shakſpeare's Works, in The Monthly Review Or Literary Journal Enlarged [2nd Series], Volume 13, R. Griffiths, page 265,
      Mr. Steevens alſo, influenced we ſuppoſe by the authority of Dr. Farmer, ſeems by the way in which he regulates the line in his new edition, to think that Shakſpeare here meaned no more than a play on words.
    • 1897, Jas. W. Tupper, English Drama: Das Wortspiel bei Shakspere, von Leopold Wurth, A. Marshall Elliott (managing editor), Modern Language Notes, Volume XII, page 171,
      There are two general classes under which all the examples are grouped: plays on words which are due to a double meaning, and the plays merely on sound (die Laut- oder Klaugspiele). The term for the latter group Dr. Wurth gives as puns, punnings.
    • 1988, Linda S. Myrsiades, The Karagiozis Heroic Performance in Greek Shadow Theater, University Press of New England, page 234,
      19. The original play on words here is between furlani (decree) and hurlani (date).

Translations

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See also

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