as in halfpenny
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Recent Examples of kenning
Jonah Walters,
Longreads,
24 Oct. 2024
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
The kenning’s true meaning lies beyond the edges of my comprehension.
—
Jonah Walters,
Longreads,
24 Oct. 2024
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
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Indeed, in 2023, his music earned him just shy of $200,000, about one halfpenny at a time.
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In nineteenth-century England, tailors would place old halfpennies in the pockets of a man’s new suit for good luck.
Verb
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For starters, even though federal law requires hospitals to list their prices publicly, fathoming these files is almost impossible.
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However, Chiefs veteran center Creed Humphrey says his team won't be listening to those, or even fathoming the thought of panicking.
Noun
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Theories, speculation and whispers were hard to ignore, but even harder to prove.
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The whispers about the 41-year-old turned louder.
Verb
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The outcome of future conflicts will hinge on accurately perceiving reality amidst GPS denial and growing electronic illusions.
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Sam always found this really interesting line of being very truthful of what is going on behind closed doors in a generation, but then also pushing the boundaries on how people are used to perceiving or digesting certain topics.
Noun
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Tiny bugs float in the sun like dust motes, and there are graceful flies large enough to require a runway landing.
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Sunbeams through the windows illuminate floating dust motes—and, imperceptibly, microdroplets of mucus carrying the measles virus, expelled from an infected but asymptomatic child who is hopping and laughing among the others.
Verb
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Police posted video of the raid on social media, showing officers collecting evidence at the scene and apprehending the suspect.
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The Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office, United States Marshals Service and New Mexico State Police assisted in apprehending Jones, Hann said.
Noun
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These devices use quantum systems, such as atoms or electron spins, as highly sensitive probes.
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Each carbon atom in the diamond is bound to four other carbon atoms.
Verb
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Even more lore is on the way when House of the Dragon returns for season 3 on June 21 following season 2's bloody end.
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The threat to Starmer's premiership has been building for months following bruising defeats for his party in May local and regional elections.
Cite this Entry
“Kenning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kenning. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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