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Definition of Idiom
An idiom is a phrase that conveys a figurative meaning that is difficult or impossible to understand based solely on a literal interpretation of the words in the phrase. For... read full definition
An idiom is a phrase that conveys a figurative meaning that is difficult or impossible to understand based solely on a literal interpretation of the... read full definition
An idiom is a phrase that conveys a figurative meaning that is difficult or impossible to understand based solely on... read full definition
Preface
Explanation and Analysis—The Turn of the Screw:
In The Turn of the Screw, the title itself makes use of an idiom that, in most cases, is used metaphorically to refer to something excruciating or horrible. In this case, it's used to describe a story about ghosts haunting children. It's also used as a way of expressing a certain escalation of the stakes, as Douglas listens to a story about the haunting of a child and then says he has an even worse story:
"But it's not the first occurrence of its charming kind that I know to have involved a child. If the child gives the effect another turn of the screw, what do you say to two children—?"
Related Themes:
