| anacrusis |
| Definition - When one or many unstressed syllables start a line of verse before the actual meter begins. |
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Example - In the song Star Spangled Banner, the Oh! in Oh! Say can you see is an anacrusis. |
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Etymology - The word derives from Greek anakrousis, a pushing back (from ana, back + krouein, to strike). |
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Oxford English Dictionary - Its first citation is from 1833: "The Iambus … in technical language is said to consist of anacrusis and arsis." (Edin. Rev. LVI. 372 ) |