Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
fable

more about fable

fable


  5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Fable  \Fa"ble\,  v.  i.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Fabled};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Fabling}.] 
  To  compose  fables;  hence  to  write  or  speak  fiction;  to  write 
  or  utter  what  is  not  true.  ``He  Fables  not.''  --Shak. 
 
  Vain  now  the  tales  which  fabling  poets  tell  --Prior. 
 
  He  fables,  yet  speaks  truth.  --M.  Arnold. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Fable  \Fa"ble\,  v.  t. 
  To  feign;  to  invent;  to  devise,  and  speak  of  as  true  or 
  real;  to  tell  of  falsely. 
 
  The  hell  thou  fablest.  --Milton. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Fable  \Fa"ble\  (f[=a]"b'l),  n.  [F.,  fr  L.  fabula,  fr  fari  to 
  speak,  say  See  {Ban},  and  cf  {Fabulous},  {Fame}.] 
  1.  A  Feigned  story  or  tale,  intended  to  instruct  or  amuse;  a 
  fictitious  narration  intended  to  enforce  some  useful  truth 
  or  precept;  an  apologue.  See  the  Note  under  {Apologue}. 
 
  Jotham's  fable  of  the  trees  is  the  oldest  extant. 
  --Addison. 
 
  2.  The  plot,  story,  or  connected  series  of  events,  forming 
  the  subject  of  an  epic  or  dramatic  poem. 
 
  The  moral  is  the  first  business  of  the  poet;  this 
  being  formed,  he  contrives  such  a  design  or  fable  as 
  may  be  most  suitable  to  the  moral.  --Dryden. 
 
  3.  Any  story  told  to  excite  wonder;  common  talk;  the  theme  of 
  talk.  ``Old  wives'  fables.  ''  --1  Tim.  iv  7. 
 
  We  grew  The  fable  of  the  city  where  we  dwelt. 
  --Tennyson. 
 
  4.  Fiction;  untruth;  falsehood. 
 
  It  would  look  like  a  fable  to  report  that  this 
  gentleman  gives  away  a  great  fortune  by  secret 
  methods.  --Addison. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  fable 
  n  1:  a  deliberately  false  or  improbable  account  [syn:  {fabrication}, 
  {fiction}] 
  2:  a  short  moral  story  (often  with  animal  characters)  [syn:  {parable}, 
  {allegory},  {apologue}] 
  3:  a  story  about  mythical  or  supernatural  beings  or  events 
  [syn:  {legend}] 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Fable 
  applied  in  the  New  Testament  to  the  traditions  and  speculations, 
  "cunningly  devised  fables",  of  the  Jews  on  religious  questions 
  (1  Tim.  1:4;  4:7;  2  Tim.  4:4;  Titus  1:14;  2  Pet.  1:16).  In  such 
  passages  the  word  means  anything  false  and  unreal.  But  the  word 
  is  used  as  almost  equivalent  to  parable.  Thus  we  have  (1)  the 
  fable  of  Jotham,  in  which  the  trees  are  spoken  of  as  choosing  a 
  king  (Judg.  9:8-15);  and  (2)  that  of  the  cedars  of  Lebanon  and 
  the  thistle  as  Jehoash's  answer  to  Amaziah  (2  Kings  14:9). 
 




more about fable