as in halfpenny
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Recent Examples of kenning
Jonah Walters, Longreads, 24 Oct. 2024
The kenning’s true meaning lies beyond the edges of my comprehension.
—Jonah Walters, Longreads, 24 Oct. 2024
My favorite parts of the book are those where there's a new kenning.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 14 Apr. 2023
Most of the writers attempting to imitate Tolkien weren’t steeped in the rhythm of Old English kennings, or the spiritual yearning of chivalric romance.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 2 June 2023
Weinersmith has successfully captured the spirit of this timeless story, weaving in generous amounts of alliteration and his version of Old English kennings, a compound figure of speech that replaces a common noun with two or more words that make for a more figurative than literal description.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 14 Apr. 2023
Noun
This is a kenning that evokes a natural transition to darkness and also an unfinished human endeavor.
—Jonah Walters, Longreads, 24 Oct. 2024
The kenning’s true meaning lies beyond the edges of my comprehension.
—Jonah Walters, Longreads, 24 Oct. 2024
My favorite parts of the book are those where there's a new kenning.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 14 Apr. 2023
Most of the writers attempting to imitate Tolkien weren’t steeped in the rhythm of Old English kennings, or the spiritual yearning of chivalric romance.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 2 June 2023
Weinersmith has successfully captured the spirit of this timeless story, weaving in generous amounts of alliteration and his version of Old English kennings, a compound figure of speech that replaces a common noun with two or more words that make for a more figurative than literal description.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 14 Apr. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kenning
Noun
-
Indeed, in 2023, his music earned him just shy of $200,000, about one halfpenny at a time.—
Brett Martin,
New York Times,
31 Mar. 2024
-
In nineteenth-century England, tailors would place old halfpennies in the pockets of a man’s new suit for good luck.—
Hua Hsu,
The New Yorker,
18 Sep. 2023
Noun
-
Every new headline—whether a cease-fire whisper or another drone strike—moves Brent and insurance quotes long before drilling rigs or pipelines can respond.—
Guney Yildiz,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
-
Jane spoke barely above a whisper to an attentive jury throughout her afternoon testimony.—
Larry Neumeister,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
These active hunters, rather than passively perceiving their environment, require sharper vision to locate and capture prey.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Mar. 2025
-
However, perceiving the existence of Assyrians in Iraq as stable is a grave misunderstanding.—
Matt Robison,
Newsweek,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
This is similar in size to the icy particles in Saturn's rings, for example, and the ice is likely frozen around motes of interplanetary dust.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
19 May 2025
-
Reactivate to speed back to your beacon as a mote of pure light.—
Mike Stubbs,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The question of where atoms comes from requires a lot of physics to be answered completely – and even then, physicists like me only have good guesses to explain how some atoms are formed.—
Stephen L. Levy,
The Conversation,
23 June 2025
-
In addition, in things like neutral atom computers, the atoms have to be moved to specific locations where measurements take place, and the measurements heat them up so that they can't be reused until cooled.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
The most memorable offerings didn’t care a whit about product-testing strategies.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2025
-
Vie comes on the heels of Doja’s 2023 album Scarlet, whit hit No. 4 on the Billboard 200.—
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady,
Billboard,
30 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Major stock markets in Asia and Europe rose today in trading following the announcement of electronics exemptions.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Swim in a direction following the shoreline.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Advertisement Iran could attempt a dash for a nuclear weapon at one of its remaining sites.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
19 June 2025
-
Hamas’ atrocities on Oct. 7, and their Iranian patrons’ dash toward nuclear weapons, have only strengthened our determination to build a better future for Iran, Israel and the region.—
Shervin Pishevar,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kenning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kenning. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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