fable

/'feibl/
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fable

A wise tortoise and a boastful hare race in a classic fable.

Definition

Noun 1. A short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral lesson. This is the most common meaning, referring to a type of folk tale designed to teach a practical truth or ethical principle. 2. A story about mythical or supernatural beings or events; a legend. This meaning refers to a narrative that is not based in fact, often involving gods, heroes, or magical creatures. 3. A false statement or account; a fabrication. This meaning refers to something invented or untrue, not a traditional story.

Examples
  • Noun (Moral Story):
    • Aesop's fable "The Tortoise and the Hare" teaches that slow and steady wins the race.
    • Many children learn about honesty through the fable of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf."
  • Noun (Legend/Myth):
    • The ancient fables of Greece explain the origins of the world through the actions of gods.
    • His book collects the fables and folklore of the indigenous people.
  • Noun (Falsehood):
    • His excuse for being late was an obvious fable.
    • The claim that the building is haunted is mere fable.
Advanced Usage
  • "Moral of the fable": The lesson or principle that a fable is intended to teach.
    • The moral of the fable is that greed often leads to loss.
  • "To be a fable": To be a widely told but untrue story.
    • The idea that he worked alone is now considered a fable.
Variants and Related Words
  • Fabled (adj): Famous or well-known, especially from myths or stories; often implying something legendary or idealized.
    • They searched for the fabled city of gold.
  • Fabular (adj): Relating to or resembling a fable.
    • The novel has a fabular quality.
  • Fabulist (n): A person who composes or tells fables; or, more commonly, a liar.
    • Aesop is the most famous fabulist. / He was exposed as a fabulist who invented his war stories.
Synonyms
  • Parable: A simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.
  • Allegory: A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
  • Legend: A traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but not authenticated.
  • Myth: A traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining a natural or social phenomenon.
  • Fabrication: A false statement or story.
Idioms and Phrases
  • "Old wives' fable": A superstitious or foolish story believed by the credulous.
    • The idea that carrots help you see in the dark is an old wives' fable.
fable

A wise tortoise and a boastful hare race in a classic fable.

Noun
  1. a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events
  2. a short moral story (often with animal characters)
  3. a deliberately false or improbable account

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