- dramatic irony
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A theatrical effect in which the meaning of a situation, or some incongruity in the plot, is understood by the audience, but not by the characters in the play.
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dramatic irony
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dramatic irony — irony that is inherent in speeches or a situation of a drama and is understood by the audience but not grasped by the characters in the play. [1905 10] * * * ▪ literature in literature, a plot device in which the audience s or reader s… … Universalium
dramatic irony — noun (theater) irony that occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play • Topics: ↑dramaturgy, ↑dramatic art, ↑dramatics, ↑theater, ↑theatre • Hypernyms: ↑irony … Useful english dictionary
dramatic irony — dramat′ic i′rony n. lit. irony derived from the audience s understanding of a speech or a situation not grasped by the characters in a dramatic piece • Etymology: 1905–10 … From formal English to slang
dramatic irony — noun Date: circa 1907 irony 3b … New Collegiate Dictionary
dramatic irony — dra.matic irony n [U] when the people watching a play know something that the characters do not, and can understand the real importance or meaning of what is happening … Dictionary of contemporary English
dramatic irony — dra,matic irony noun uncount a situation in which an audience knows more about what is happening in a play or movie than the characters do … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
dramatic irony — noun (U) a special effect in a play in which the people watching know something that the characters in the play do not, and can understand the real importance or meaning of what is happening … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
dramatic irony — UK / US noun [uncountable] theatre, cinema a situation in which an audience knows more about what is happening in a play or film than the characters do … English dictionary
dramatic irony — /drəˌmætɪk ˈaɪrəni/ (say druh.matik uyruhnee) noun → irony1 (def. 4) …
irony — In the ordinary use of language irony means primarily ‘an expression of meaning by use of words that have an opposite literal meaning or tendency’. When we look out of the window at the pouring rain and exclaim ‘What a lovely day!’, we are using… … Modern English usage
