Question

Please briefly explain how to use litotes in a poem and give an example.

Answer 1

Answer:

Litotes is an understatement in which a positive statement is expressed by negating its opposite. This sounds like a strange definition, but a few examples will make the meaning clear.

The classic example of litotes is the phrase “not bad.” By negating the word “bad,” you’re saying that something is good, or at least OK. However, in most contexts it’s an understatement. For example: “Not bad! Not bad at all!” The idea here is that someone is actually pretty excited about something – that they think it’s a lot better than just “not bad.”

Explanation:

After someone hires you, you might say, “Thank you, ma’am, you won’t regret it.” The negation is an understatement, of course – what you really mean is that your boss will be happy with your performance.

Answer 2

Answer: Litotes is a speech figure that uses double negatives to express its positive meaning.

Explanation:

She's not a bad chef. Which simply means she's good in the kitchen.

She's bad on stage, which means she's a good dancer.