allusion

/əˈluːʒn/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈluːʒn/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈlü-zhən/ (ame, mw)

allusion — noun

  • allusionsingular
  • allusionsplural

1. a word or phrase that mentions a person, event, or work of art in an indirect wa

1.名詞B2
釋義

a word or phrase that mentions a person, event, or work of art in an indirect way, relying on the reader or listener to recognise what is being referred to

例句

The senator's speech contained a clear allusion to the Watergate scandal.

allusion + to + noun for indirect reference

When the novelist described a 'dark and stormy night,' readers recognised the allusion to Bulwer-Lytton.

同義詞
  • reference

    more direct and neutral; 'reference' can be explicit while 'allusion' is always indirect

  • mention

    broader in meaning; a mention can be direct or indirect, but an allusion is always indirect

  • hint

    less formal and more subtle; a hint suggests rather than names, while an allusion names the thing indirectly

反義詞
  • explicit statement

    something said directly without relying on the audience's prior knowledge

文法句型

allusion + to + noun/pronoun

用法筆記

Frequently followed by the preposition 'to.' Common in literary and academic contexts to describe references to other works, historical events, or well-known people.

常見錯誤

❌The book makes an illusion to Greek mythology.
✅The book makes an allusion to Greek mythology.
💡'illusion' means a false appearance or belief; 'allusion' means an indirect reference.