Rhetorical devices

Partly from https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/rhetorical-devices-list-examples

alliteration

repetition of usually initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables

wild and wooly
threatening throngs

anacoluthon

syntactical inconsistency or incoherence within a sentence; a shift in an unfinished sentence from one syntactic construction to another

you really should have—well, what do you expect?

anadiplosis

repetition of a prominent and usually the last word in one phrase or clause at the beginning of the next

rely on his honor—honor such as his?

analepsis

interruption of the chronological sequence of events by interjection of events or scenes of earlier occurrence; flashbacks

anaphora

repetition of a word or expression at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses

we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground

antanaclasis

repetition of a word within a phrase or sentence in which the second occurrence utilizes a different and sometimes contrary meaning from the first

we must all hang together or most assuredly we shall all hang separately

antiphrasis

usually ironic or humorous use of words in senses opposite to the generally accepted meanings

this giant of 3 feet 4 inches

antonomasia

use of a proper name to designate a member of a class; the use of an epithet or title in place of a proper name

“Solomon” for a wise ruler
“the Bard” for Shakespeare

apophasis

the raising of an issue by claiming not to mention it

we won’t discuss his past crimes

aporia

expression of real or pretended doubt or uncertainty

to be, or not to be: that is the question

cacophony

harshness in the sounds sound of words or phrases

chiasmus

inverted relationship between the syntactic elements of parallel phrases

working hard, or hardly working?

dialogism

disjunctive conclusion inferred from a single premise

gravitation may act without contact; therefore, either some force may act without contact or gravitation is not a force

dysphemism

substitution of a disagreeable, offensive, or disparaging expression for an agreeable or inoffensive one

“greasy spoon” for “diner”

epistrophe

repetition of a word or expression at the end of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses

of the people, by the people, for the people

epizeuxis

immediate repetition of a word or phrase for emphatic effect

we will never, ever, ever get back together

hypallage

interchange of two elements in a phrase or sentence from a more logical to a less logical relationship

“you are lost to joy” for “joy is lost to you”

hyperbation

transposition or inversion of idiomatic word order

judge me by my size, do you?

hyperbole

extravagant exaggeration

mile-high ice cream cones

hypophora

putting or answering of an objection or argument against the speaker’s contention

what’s the secret to success? hard work and persistence

litotes

understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of the contrary

not a bad singer

meiosis

presentation of a thing with underemphasis; understatement

metaphor

word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them

drowning in money

metonymy

use of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is an attribute or with which it is associated

“crown” as used in “lands belonging to the crown”

onomatopoeia

naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it

buzz

oxymoron

combination of contradictory or incongruous words

cruel kindness

pleonasm

use of more words than those necessary to denote mere sense; redundancy

I saw it with my own eyes

simile

comparing two unlike things that is often introduced by “like” or “as”

cheeks like roses

syllepsis

use of a word in the same grammatical relation to two adjacent words in the context with one literal and the other metaphorical in sense

she blew my nose and then she blew my mind

synecdoche

a part is put for the whole, the whole for a part, the species forthe genus, the genus for the species or the name of the material for the thing made

“fifty sail” for “fifty ships”
“society” for “high society”
“cutthroat” for “assassin”
“creature” for "a man”
“boards” for “stage”

zeugma

use of a word to modify or govern two or more words usually in such a manner that it applies to each in a different sense or makes sense with only one

opened the door and her heart to the homeless boy

auxesis

a gradual increase in intensity or significance for climactic effect

he came, he saw, he conquered

catacosmesis

ideas or terms are arranged in descending order of importance

he lost his family, his house, and his favorite mug

asyndeton

using phrases or clauses placed one after another independently, without coordinating or subordinating conjunctions, to create a sense of immediacy

run, jump, survive

polysyndeton

using more conjunctions than necessary for emphasis

we have ships and money and resources