Home > Terms > English (EN) > allusion

allusion

An allusion is an indirect reference to a person, event or piece of literature. Allusion is used to explain or clarify a complex problem. Note that allusion works best if you keep it short and refer to something the reader / audience is familiar with (e.g. famous people,(Greek) mythology, the bible etc.). The advantages are as follows: we don't need lengthy explanations to clarify the problem; the reader becomes active by reflecting on the analogy; the message will stick in the reader's mind.

Example:

The software included a Trojan Horse. (allusion on the Trojan horse from Greek mythology)

Many allusions on historic events, mythology or the bible have become famous idioms.

Example:

to meet one's Waterloo (allusion on Napoleons defeat in the Battle of Waterloo).

0
Collect to Blossary

Member comments

You have to log in to post to discussions.

Terms in the News

Billy Morgan

Sports; Snowboarding

The British snowboarder Billy Morgan has landed the sport’s first ever 1800 quadruple cork. The rider, who represented Great Britain in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, was in Livigno, Italy, when he achieved the man-oeuvre. It involves flipping four times, while body also spins with five complete rotations on a sideways or downward-facing axis. The trick ...

Marzieh Afkham

Broadcasting & receiving; News

Marzieh Afkham, who is the country’s first foreign ministry spokeswoman, will head a mission in east Asia, the state news agency reported. It is not clear to which country she will be posted as her appointment has yet to be announced officially. Afkham will only be the second female ambassador Iran has had. Under the last shah’s rule, Mehrangiz Dolatshahi, a ...

Weekly Packet

Language; Online services; Slang; Internet

Weekly Packet or "Paquete Semanal" as it is known in Cuba is a term used by Cubans to describe the information that is gathered from the internet outside of Cuba and saved onto hard drives to be transported into Cuba itself. Weekly Packets are then sold to Cuban's without internet access, allowing them to obtain information just days - and sometimes hours - after it ...

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)

Banking; Investment banking

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is an international financial institution established to address the need in Asia for infrastructure development. According to the Asian Development Bank, Asia needs $800 billion each year for roads, ports, power plants or other infrastructure projects before 2020. Originally proposed by China in 2013, a signing ...

Spartan

Online services; Internet

Spartan is the codename given to the new Microsoft Windows 10 browser that will replace Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer. The new browser will be built from the ground up and disregard any code from the IE platform. It has a new rendering engine that is built to be compatible with how the web is written today. The name Spartan is named after the ...

Featured Terms

Silentchapel
  • 0

    Terms

  • 95

    Blossaries

  • 10

    Followers

Industry/Domain: Culinary arts Category: Cooking

guacamole

Guacamole is an avocado-based dip that originated with the Aztecs in Mexico. In addition to its use in modern Mexican cuisine it has also become part ...

Featured blossaries

10 Hot Holiday Destinations

Category: Education   1 10 Terms

Best Ballet Companies for 2014

Category: Arts   1 1 Terms