Dictionary

epitasis en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ɪˈpɪtəsɪs/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἐπίτασις (epítasis, “stretching”), from ἐπιτείνω (epiteínō, “to stretch”), from ἐπί (epí) + τείνω (teínō, “stretch”).

Meanings

1. (countable, qualifier:ancient drama, uncountable) The second part of a play, in which the action begins.
   • How my uncle Toby and Corporal Trim managed this matter,—with the history of their campaigns, which were no way barren of events,—may make no uninteresting under-plot in the epitasis and working up of this drama. 1760, Laurence Sterne, The Life & Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, Penguin, published 2003, page 88:
   • It doubles itself in the middle of his life, reflects itself in another, repeats itself, protasis, epitasis, catastasis, catastrophe. 1922, James Joyce, Ulysses:
2. (countable, rhetoric, uncountable) The addition of a concluding sentence that merely emphasizes what has already been stated.
3. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) The period of violence in a fever or disease; paroxysm.

Forms

Relateds

catastasis · protasis · catastrophe