Literature term

Question

I am looking for a literary term that I can describe as similar to a homograph. As in the word wither can have more than one meaning at the same time. Think Tennyson.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Hello, Cookie Monster- and welcome to English Forums?  What are the two meanings of 'wither' and what does Tennyson have to do with it?

Sic · Answer

Wither - To droop

Wither - To abash

Mister Micawber · Answer

Ah. Well, 'wither' in both cases has its etymology in the same root (1530s, alteration of M.E. wydderen "dry up, shrivel" c.1300), and the meanings are closely related. These are not homonyms, homographs or homophones-- it is simply the same word with 2 meanings.

What is the Tennyson connection, though?

Cookie Monster · Answer

Hello, thank you for your reply. The Tennyson connection is because I was writing poetry and instead of posting my own, I used him as a reference, certainly his works are much better than my own. <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/> As for the word wither it was just an example. There has to be a literary term for when a word is used in that way, because it is open to interpretation and simultaneously represents two meanings. Would Frost have been a better reference?

Mister Micawber · Answer

Both Tennyson and Frost are irrelevant. And there needn't be a literary term for a word that has two related meanings. 'Of' has at least 17:

–preposition
1.
(used to indicate distance or direction from, separation, deprivation, etc.): within a mile of the church; south of Omaha; to be robbed of one's money.

2.
(used to indicate derivation, origin, or source): a man of good family; the plays of Shakespeare; a piece of cake.

3.
(used to indicate cause, motive, occasion, or reason): to die of hunger.

4.
(used to indicate material, component parts, substance, or contents): a dress of silk; an apartment of three rooms; a book of poems; a package of cheese.

5.
(used to indicate apposition or identity): Is that idiot of a salesman calling again?

6.
(used to indicate specific identity or a particular item within a category): the city of Chicago; thoughts of http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/love.

7.
(used to indicate possession, connection, or association): the king of France; the property of the church.

8.
(used to indicate in a number, class, or whole): one of us.

9.
(used to indicate the objective relation, the object of the action noted by the preceding noun or the application of a verb or adjective): the ringing of bells; He writes her of home; I'm tired of working.

10.
(used to indicate reference or respect): There is talk of peace.

11.
(used to indicate qualities or attributes): an ambassador of remarkable tact.

12.
(used to indicate a specified time): They arrived of an evening.

13.
Chiefly Northern U.S. before the hour of; until: twenty minutes of five.

14.
on the part of: It was very mean of you to laugh at me.

15.
in respect to: fleet of foot.

16.
set aside for or devoted to: a minute of http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/prayer.

17.
Archaic . by: consumed of http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/worms.

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