artificial+eloquence

  • 111Beaconsfield, Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of — (1804 1881)    Statesman and novelist, was the s. of Isaac D. (q.v.). Belonging to a Jewish family settled first in Spain, whence in the 15th century they migrated to Italy, he was b. in London in 1804 and privately ed. His f. destined him for… …

    Short biographical dictionary of English literature

  • 112Cowley, Abraham — (1618 1667)    Poet, s. of a grocer or stationer in London, where he was b. In childhood he was greatly influenced by reading Spenser, a copy of whose poems was in the possession of his mother. This, he said, made him a poet. His first book,… …

    Short biographical dictionary of English literature

  • 113strain — I. /streɪn / (say strayn) verb (t) 1. to draw tight or taut; stretch, especially to the utmost tension: to strain a rope. 2. to exert to the utmost: to strain one s ears to catch a sound. 3. to impair, injure, or weaken by stretching or… …

  • 114bombastic — [bäm bas′tik] adj. using or characterized by high sounding but unimportant or meaningless language; pompous; grandiloquent bombastically adv. SYN. BOMBASTIC refers to speech or writing that is pompous and inflated and suggests extravagant verbal… …

    English World dictionary

  • 115strain — strain1 [strān] vt. [ME streinen < OFr estraindre, to strain, wring hard < L stringere, to draw tight: see STRICT] 1. to draw or stretch tight 2. to exert, use, or tax to the utmost [to strain every nerve] 3. to overtax; injure by… …

    English World dictionary

  • 116art´less|ness — art|less «AHRT lihs», adjective. 1. a) without any trickery, guile, or deceit: »He sets about promoting his plans with an artless good faith which confounds his cynical court (Saturday Review). b) made or done without knowledge of social customs; …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 117art´less|ly — art|less «AHRT lihs», adjective. 1. a) without any trickery, guile, or deceit: »He sets about promoting his plans with an artless good faith which confounds his cynical court (Saturday Review). b) made or done without knowledge of social customs; …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 118art|less — «AHRT lihs», adjective. 1. a) without any trickery, guile, or deceit: »He sets about promoting his plans with an artless good faith which confounds his cynical court (Saturday Review). b) made or done without knowledge of social customs; simple:… …

    Useful english dictionary