Definitions

1. noun

A rhetorical device in which a word or phrase is applied to two or more things that are not alike in a way that is logically consistent.

“The poet’s use of syllepses in the final stanza added a layer of complexity to the poem’s meaning.”

2. noun

A figure of speech in which a word is applied to two or more words or phrases that have different meanings.

“The author’s use of syllepses in the novel created a sense of ambiguity and uncertainty in the reader’s mind.”