Exaggeration
Related: caricature - extravagance
Petit Souper a la Parisienne; -or- A Family of Sans-Culottes refreshing, after the fatigues of the day (1792) - James Gillray
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Definition
- To represent as greater than is actually the case; overstate: exaggerate the size of the enemy force; exaggerated his own role in the episode.
- To enlarge or increase to an abnormal degree: thick lenses that exaggerated the size of her eyes.
Hyperbole
A hyperbole, largely synonymous with exaggeration and overconsulting, is a figure of speech in which statements are exaggerated or extravagant. It may be used due to strong feelings or is used to create a strong impression and is not meant to be taken literally. It gives greater emphasis. It is often used in poetry and is a literary device. --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exaggeration [Mar 2006]
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