allegory

plural allegories

1. rhetoricuncountableThe use of symbols which may be interpreted to reveal a hidden, broader message, usually a moral or political one, about real-world issues and occurrences; also, the interpretation of such symbols.

   Allegory Metaphors continues still, / Which with new graces every sentence fill.

   1835, L[arret] Langley, “[The Seven Tropes.] Allegory.”, in A Manual of the Figures of Rhetoric, […], Doncaster, South Yorkshire: […] C. White, […], →OCLC, page 5

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   In theſe teſtimonies vvhich they alledge of the ſcripture there are certayne, vvhiche are vvell nere of no vvayghte, but there is none of them, but eyther it is darke vvith the myſte of allegorie: or els it dothe receyue dyuerſe and manifolde interpretations.

   1533, Erasmus of Roterdame, “The Fourth Instruction”, in William Marshall, transl., A Playne and Godly Exposytion or Declaration of the Commune Crede (which in the Latin Tonge is Called Symbolum Apostolorum): And of the .x. Commaundementes of Goddes Law. […], London: […] Robert Redman, […] [for William Marshall], →OCLC, folio 82, recto

   As some of the finest compositions among the ancients are in allegory, I have endeavoured, in several of my papers, to revive that way of writing, and hope I have not been altogether unsuccessful in it; […]

   1712 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), [Thomas Parnell], “FRIDAY, October 4, 1712”, in The Spectator, number 501; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume V, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 460

   Allegory and Poetic Delineation, as I said above, cannot be religious Faith: the Faith itself must first be there, then Allegory enough will gather round it, as the fit body round its soul.

   1840 May 5, Thomas Carlyle, “Lecture I. The Hero as Divinity. Odin. Paganism: Scandinavian Mythology.”, in On Heroes, Hero-Worship and The Heroic in History, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1840, →OCLC, page 28

2. broadlycountableuncountableA picture, story, or other form of communication in which one or more characters, events, or places are used to reveal a hidden, broader message about real-world issues and occurrences.

   [T]hey held the Creed in the plain literal ſenſe thereof vvithout any ſhuffling Allegories, […]

   1660, H[enry] More, chapter XVII, in An Explanation of the Grand Mystery of Godliness; […], London: […] J[ames] Flesher, for W[illiam] Morden […], →OCLC, book I, page 203

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   [T]houghe ſome woordes ſpoken by the mouthe of Chriſt written in ſcripture, be to be vnderſtanden only by way of a ſimilitude or an allegory: it foloweth not therupõ [thereupon] that of neceſſitye euerye like woorde of Chriſt in other places was none other but an allegory.

   1533 (date written), Thomas More, “A Letter of Sir Thomas More Knight Impugning the Erroniouse Wryting of John Frith agaynst the Blessed Sacrament of the Aulter”, in Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], editor, The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght, […], London: […] Iohn Cawod, Iohn Waly, and Richarde Tottell, published 30 April 1557, →OCLC, page 835, column 1

   […] Abraham had two ſonnes, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman, was borne after the fleſh: but hee of the freewoman, was by promiſe. Which things are an Allegorie; for theſe are the two Couenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. […] But Jeruſalem which is aboue is free, which is the mother of vs all.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Galatians 4:22–24 and 26, signature [S4], verso, column 2

   And thus it vvas: I vvriting of the VVay / And Race of Saints, in this our Goſpel-Day, / Fell ſuddenly into an Allegory / About their Journey, and the vvay to Glory, / In more than tvventy things, vvhich I ſet dovvn; […]

   1678, John Bunyan, “The Author’s Apology for His Book”, in The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC

   They diſcover in every paſſage ſome ſecret meaning, ſome remote alluſion, ſome artful allegory, or ſome occult imitation, vvhich no other reader every ſuspected; […]

   1751 December 3 (Gregorian calendar), Samuel Johnson, “No. 176. Friday, November 23. 1751.”, in The Rambler, volume VII, Edinburgh: […] Sands, Murray, and Cochran; sold by W. Gordon, C. Wright, J. Yair, […], published 1752, →OCLC, page 130

   Ah! the Roman emperor, who desired that his slavery might be alleviated by his fetters being made of gold, was a very rational person. I have always considered it an allegory, showing the necessity of marrying for money.

   1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter III, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, pages 30–31

3. broadlycountableuncountableA character or thing which symbolically represents someone or something else; an emblem, a symbol.

   There were casts of the Gladiator—he whose native courage struggled against the doom which was yet welcome—a mournful allegory of honour.

   1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter I, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 11

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   [T]he Harp of Ireland, puts me in mind, of that Glorious Embleme, or Allegory, vvherein the vviſdome of Antiquity, did figure, and ſhadovv out, vvorks of this Nature.

   1606 (date written), Francis Bacon, “[Severall Discourses, Written, in the Dayes of King James, […].] Certain Considerations, Touching the Plantation in Ireland. Presented to His Maiesty, 1606.”, in William Rawley, editor, Resuscitatio, or, Bringing into Publick Light Severall Pieces, of the Works, Civil, Historical, Philosophical, & Theological, hitherto Sleeping; of the Right Honourable Francis Bacon Baron of Verulam, Viscount Saint Alban. […], London: S[arah] Griffin, for William Lee, […], published 1657, →OCLC, page 257

   Among all the great men of antiquity, Procruſtes ſhall never be my hero of legiſlation; vvith his iron bed, the allegory of his government, and the type of ſome modern policy, by vvhich the long limb vvas to be cut ſhort, and the ſhort tortured into length. Such vvas this ſtate bed of uniformity!

   1769, [Edmund Burke], Observations on a Late State of the Nation, London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC, page 61

4. broadlycountableuncountablecategory theoryA category that retains some of the structure of the category of binary relations between sets, representing a high-level generalization of that category.

present singular third person allegories · participle present allegorying · participle past allegoried · past allegoried

1. Synonym of allegorize.
   1. archaictransitiveTo interpret (a picture, story, or other form of communication) to reveal a hidden, broader message about real-world issues and occurrences.
   2. archaictransitiveTo create an allegory (noun sense 2.1) from (a character, an event or situation, etc.); also, to use one or more symbols to depict (a hidden, broader message about real-world issues and occurrences).
   3. archaictransitivelifestyleFollowed by away: to treat (something) as allegorical or symbolic rather than as truth.
   4. archaicintransitiveTo interpret an allegory.
   5. archaicintransitiveTo create or use allegory.