soothsaying
/'su:θ,seiiɳ/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The art or practice of foretelling future events or revealing hidden knowledge: "Soothsaying" refers to the act of predicting the future or uncovering secrets, often claiming to use supernatural or magical means.
- A specific prediction or prophecy: It can also refer to the statement or pronouncement made by a soothsayer.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The ancient king consulted a priest skilled in soothsaying before making an important decision.
- Her soothsaying about the market crash turned out to be surprisingly accurate.
- He dismissed the prediction as mere soothsaying with no basis in fact.
Advanced Usage
- "To practice soothsaying": To engage in the activity of making predictions.
- In some cultures, it was forbidden to practice soothsaying.
- "An act of soothsaying": A specific instance of making a prophecy.
- The old woman's act of soothsaying filled the villagers with both hope and dread.
Variants and Related Words
- Soothsayer (n): A person who practices soothsaying; a prophet or seer.
- The soothsayer warned the general of the impending danger.
- Sooth (archaic, n): Truth or reality. (Note: This is the root word, but it is rarely used in modern English outside of historical or poetic contexts).
Synonyms
- Divination: The practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means.
- Prophecy: A prediction of what will happen in the future.
- Fortune-telling: The practice of predicting someone's future, typically for payment.
Antonyms
- Rational analysis: Making predictions based on logic, data, and evidence.
- Skepticism: An attitude of doubt or a disposition to disbelieve in predictions.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- "Take it with a grain of salt": This common idiom is often used in response to soothsaying or any dubious prediction, meaning to be skeptical and not fully believe it.
- I heard his soothsaying about my future, but I'm taking it with a grain of salt.
- "Crystal ball gazing": A metaphorical phrase for making vague predictions about the future, often used dismissively, similar to soothsaying.
- Their economic forecast is little more than crystal ball gazing.
Noun
- the art or gift of prophecy (or the pretense of prophecy) by supernatural means