penny dreadful

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Word: Penny Dreadful

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition: A "penny dreadful" is a type of cheap, exciting, and often sensational story or novel, usually found in paperback form. These stories were popular in the 19th century and often featured thrilling plots with crime, horror, or adventure.

Usage Instructions:

• When to use: You can use "penny dreadful" when talking about books, stories, or literature that are sensational and perhaps not very serious or high-quality.
• Who uses it: Both casual readers and literary critics might use this term, often to describe works that are entertaining but not very profound.

Example:

• "I found an old penny dreadful at the bookstore that tells a thrilling story about a detective chasing a mysterious villain."

Advanced Usage:

• In more advanced conversations, you might use "penny dreadful" to refer to media or entertainment that is perceived as lowbrow or overly dramatic, even if it’s not a literal book.

Word Variants:

• There are no direct variants of "penny dreadful," but you might encounter similar terms like "pulp fiction," which refers to cheap, popular fiction.

Different Meaning:

• While "penny dreadful" primarily refers to literature, it can also be used metaphorically to describe any type of entertainment or media that is overly dramatic or sensationalized.

Synonyms:

• Pulp fiction: Refers to cheap, popular novels, often with sensational content.
• Dime novel: Similar to penny dreadful, but often slightly more expensive and aimed at a similar audience.
• Sensational fiction: Stories that are dramatic and exciting, appealing to emotions rather than intellect.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• Idiom: There aren't specific idioms that use "penny dreadful," but you might say "not worth a dime" to indicate something is of low value, similar to the inexpensive nature of penny dreadfuls.
• Phrasal verbs: There aren’t specific phrasal verbs associated with "penny dreadful," but you could use phrases like "to dive into" (to start reading) a penny dreadful when you want to express the action of getting into that type of story.

Academic

Noun

1. a melodramatic paperback novel

Synonyms

• dime novel