Periphrasis

I found something here - http://grammar.about.com/od/pq/g/periphrasisterm.htm

"On the late Boston Transcript, a feature writer, with a fondness for using three words where one would do, once referred to bananas as 'elongated yellow fruit.' This periphrasis so fascinated Charles W. Morton . . . that he began collecting examples of 'Elongated Yellow Fruit' writing. Samples:

"In the New York Herald Tribune a beaver was almost incognito as 'the furry, paddle-tailed mammal.'

"The Denver Post elongated 'mustache' into 'under-nose hair crops.'

"To the Associated Press, Florida tangerines were 'that zipper-skinned fruit.'

"In the Lincoln [Neb.] Sunday Journal-Star a cow did not give milk; 'the vitamin-laden liquid' came from a 'bovine milk factory.' . . .

To talk around something.. provide subtle hints? I use this a lot in my poetry.. it provides an extra flare to them, instead of, you know, just saying "starry night sky"

I enjoyed RJ1's post...

kdnxdr said:

the sun / such a radiating, glorious medallion whole systems of worship sprang up to pay homage


Does this accomplish a periphrasis?

Click to expand...

Yes.