blarney stone
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: * The Blarney Stone: A specific limestone block set into the battlements of Blarney Castle, near Cork, Ireland. According to legend, anyone who kisses the stone will be granted the gift of eloquent and persuasive speech, particularly flattery.
Usage Notes
- The term is almost always used with the definite article "the" as a proper noun: the Blarney Stone.
- It refers specifically to the historical artifact and the associated legend. It is not a general term for any stone.
- The act of kissing it is called "kissing the Blarney Stone."
Examples
- Noun:
- Tourists travel from all over the world to kiss the Blarney Stone.
- The legend of the Blarney Stone is a major part of Irish folklore.
- He must have kissed the Blarney Stone, given how charmingly he speaks.
Advanced Usage
- The word "blarney" (uncountable noun) has entered the language independently, meaning "smooth, flattering, or coaxing talk." It derives directly from the legend of the stone.
- Don't believe his blarney; he's just trying to get a favor from you.
Variants and Related Words
- Blarney (n.): Flattering or persuasive talk that is often seen as pleasant but not entirely sincere.
- To blarney (v., informal): To influence or persuade with flattery or smooth talk.
Synonyms
- (For the derived term "blarney"): Flattery, sweet talk, cajolery, coaxing, persuasion.
Idioms and Phrases
- To have kissed the Blarney Stone: Used to describe someone who is exceptionally eloquent, persuasive, or skilled at flattery.
- She could sell ice to an Eskimo; she must have kissed the Blarney Stone.
Noun
- a stone in a castle in Ireland that is said to impart skill in flattery to anyone who kisses it