Parentheses

Parentheses
Parenthesis Pa*ren"the*sis (p[.a]*r[e^]n"th[-e]*s[i^]s), n.; pl. {Parentheses}. [NL., fr. Gr. pare`nqesis, fr. parentiqe`nai to put in beside, insert; para` beside + 'en in + tiqe`nai to put, place. See {Para-}, {En-}, 2, and {Thesis}.] [1913 Webster] 1. A word, phrase, or sentence, by way of comment or explanation, inserted in, or attached to, a sentence which would be grammatically complete without it. It is usually inclosed within curved lines (see def. 2 below), or dashes. ``Seldom mentioned without a derogatory parenthesis.'' --Sir T. Browne. [1913 Webster]

Don't suffer every occasional thought to carry you away into a long parenthesis. --Watts. [1913 Webster]

2. (Print.) One of the curved lines () which inclose a parenthetic word or phrase. [1913 Webster]

Note: Parenthesis, in technical grammar, is that part of a sentence which is inclosed within the recognized sign; but many phrases and sentences which are punctuated by commas are logically parenthetical. In def. 1, the phrase ``by way of comment or explanation'' is inserted for explanation, and the sentence would be grammatically complete without it. The present tendency is to avoid using the distinctive marks, except when confusion would arise from a less conspicuous separation. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • (Parenthèses…) — (Parenthèses...) Album par Françoise Hardy Sortie 2006 Enregistrement Studio Labomatic, Paris Studio Bateau Lune (4 5), Sceaux Studio Hauts de gamme (8), Boulogne Studio Guillaume Tell (6), Suresnes Studios …   Wikipédia en Français

  • (Parenthèses...) — Parenthèses... ( Parenthèses… ) Album par Françoise Hardy Sortie 2006 Enregistrement Île de France  France …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Parentheses... — Parenthèses... (Parenthèses...) Album par Françoise Hardy Sortie 2006 Enregistrement Île de France  France …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Parenthèses... — Parenthèses... (Parenthèses...) Album par Françoise Hardy Sortie 2006 Enregistrement Île de France  France …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Parenthèses — Parenthèse ( ) Ponctuation Accolades ( { } ) · Parenthèses ( ( ) )  Chevrons ( < > ) · Crochets ( [ ] )  Guillemets ( « » ou “ ” ) … …   Wikipédia en Français

  • parentheses — n. (esp. AE; BE prefers brackets) 1) to put smt. in, into parentheses 2) between, in parentheses * * * in parentheses into parentheses (esp. AE; BE prefers brackets) to put smt. in between …   Combinatory dictionary

  • parentheses —  Parenthetical matter can be thought of as any information so incidental to the main thought that it needs to be separated from the sentence that contains it. It can be set off with dashes, brackets (usually reserved for explanatory insertions in …   Bryson’s dictionary for writers and editors

  • parentheses —    Parenthetical matter can be thought of as any information so incidental to the main thought that it needs to be separated from the sentence that contains it. It can be set off with dashes, brackets (usually reserved for explanatory insertions… …   Dictionary of troublesome word

  • parentheses — pa·ren·the·sis || pÉ™ renθɪsɪs n. the characters ( ); text enclosed in parentheses; act of isolating by parentheses (Syntax) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • parenthèses — n.f.pl. Avoir les jambes en parenthèses, avoir les jambes arquées. / Pisser entre parenthèses, avoir une miction douloureuse …   Dictionnaire du Français argotique et populaire

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”