Search Result for "fable": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (3)

1. a deliberately false or improbable account;
[syn: fabrication, fiction, fable]

2. a short moral story (often with animal characters);
[syn: fable, parable, allegory, apologue]

3. a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events;
[syn: legend, fable]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Fable \Fa"ble\ (f[=a]"b'l), n. [F., fr. L. fabula, fr. fari to speak, say. See Ban, and cf. Fabulous, Fame.] 1. A Feigned story or tale, intended to instruct or amuse; a fictitious narration intended to enforce some useful truth or precept; an apologue. See the Note under Apologue. [1913 Webster] Jotham's fable of the trees is the oldest extant. --Addison. [1913 Webster] Note: A fable may have talking animals anthropomorphically cast as humans representing different character types, sometimes illustrating some moral principle; as, Aesop's Fables. [PJC] 2. The plot, story, or connected series of events, forming the subject of an epic or dramatic poem. [1913 Webster] The moral is the first business of the poet; this being formed, he contrives such a design or fable as may be most suitable to the moral. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] 3. Any story told to excite wonder; common talk; the theme of talk. "Old wives' fables. " --1 Tim. iv. 7. [1913 Webster] We grew The fable of the city where we dwelt. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster] 4. Fiction; untruth; falsehood. [1913 Webster] It would look like a fable to report that this gentleman gives away a great fortune by secret methods. --Addison. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Fable \Fa"ble\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fabled; p. pr. & vb. n. Fabling.] To compose fables; hence, to write or speak fiction; to write or utter what is not true. "He Fables not." --Shak. [1913 Webster] Vain now the tales which fabling poets tell. --Prior. [1913 Webster] He fables, yet speaks truth. --M. Arnold. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Fable \Fa"ble\, v. t. To feign; to invent; to devise, and speak of, as true or real; to tell of falsely. [1913 Webster] The hell thou fablest. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

fable n 1: a deliberately false or improbable account [syn: fabrication, fiction, fable] 2: a short moral story (often with animal characters) [syn: fable, parable, allegory, apologue] 3: a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events [syn: legend, fable]