|
| pro·lep·sis [ prō lépsiss ] (plural pro·lep·ses [ prō lép sz ]) |
noun |
|
| Definition: |
| |
1. introductory anticipation of objection: a preface intended to anticipate and answer an objection to an argument
|
2. anticipatory adjective: the use after a verb of an adjective that anticipates the result of the verb's action, e.g. "to iron a shirt smooth"
|
3. anachronistic assumption: the anachronistic assumption that a future event or condition has already happened, e.g. in the phrase "precolonial United States"
|
4. anticipation of something: the assignment of something as existing or occurring before it could have done so, e.g. in the sentence "If you don't answer this letter you're a rat"
|
| [Late 16th century. Via Latin< Greek prolēpsis< prolambanein "take before" < lambanein "take"] |
|
  pro·lep·tic adjective |
| pro·lep·ti·cal·ly adverb |
|
