| Figure Name | systole |
| Source | Silva Rhetoricae (http://humanities.byu.edu/rhetoric/Silva.htm); Susenbrotus (1540) 21-22; Sherry (1550) 27 ("sytole," "contractio"); Peacham (1577) E2v; JG Smith (1665) ("systole"); Holmes (1806) ("systole") |
| Earliest Source | None |
| Synonyms | contractio |
| Etymology | from Gk. syn, "together" and stellein, "to place" |
| Type | Scheme |
| Linguistic Domain |
Phonological |
| Definition |
1. To make short a naturally long vowel. A kind of metaplasm. (Silva Rhetoricae) 2. A shortning: a figure of Prosodia, whereby a long syllable is contrary to its nature made short.; SYSTOLE, correptio, a shortning. A figure of Prosodia, whereby a long syllable is contrary to its nature made short. This and Synecphonesis are alike, whereunto Diastole is contrary. (JG Smith) 3. A Systole long syllables makes short; The cramp'd and puzzl'd poet's last resort. (Holmes) |
| Example |
1. Poor duck, by buckshot robbed of useful bill, 3. Stetěrunt, for Stetērunt. (Holmes) |
| Kind Of | Similarity |
| Part Of | |
| Related Figures | diastole, metaplasm, synecphonesis |
| Notes | In regards to the example, the rhyming words only do rhyme if the second word, "feel" has its vowel sound shortened to the equivalent of "fill". Unsure of 'type of'. Entered by Ashwini. |
| Confidence | Unconfident |
| Last Editor | Nayoung Hong |
| Confidence | Unconfident |
| Editorial Notes | Perhaps "Type of" Similarity -Nike |
| Reviewed | No |