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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).
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