Trends of
fable

View usage for:

fable

(feɪbəl)

Word forms: plural fables

1. variable noun

A fable is a story which teaches a moral lesson. Fables sometimes have animals as the main characters.

...the fable of the tortoise and the hare. [+ of]

Each tale has the timeless quality of fable.

Synonyms: legend, myth, parable, allegory More Synonyms of fable

2. variable noun

You can describe a statement or explanation that is untrue but that many people believe as fable.

Is reincarnation fact or fable?

...little-known horticultural facts and fables.

Synonyms: fiction, lie, fantasy, myth More Synonyms of fable

fable in British English

(ˈfeɪbəl)

noun

a short moral story, esp one with animals as characters

a false, fictitious, or improbable account; fiction or lie

a story or legend about supernatural or mythical characters or events

legends or myths collectively

▶ Related adjective: fabulous

5. archaic

the plot of a play or of an epic or dramatic poem

verb

to relate or tell (fables)

7. (intransitive)

to speak untruthfully; tell lies

8. (transitive)

to talk about or describe in the manner of a fable

ghosts are fabled to appear at midnight

Derived forms

fabler (ˈfabler)

noun

Word origin

C13: from Latin fābula story, narrative, from fārī to speak, say

fable in American English

(ˈfeɪbəl)

noun

a fictitious story meant to teach a moral lesson: the characters are usually talking animals

a myth or legend

a story that is not true; falsehood

4. Archaic

the plot of a literary work

verb intransitive, verb transitiveWord forms: ˈfabled or ˈfabling

to write or tell (fables, legends, or falsehoods)

Derived forms

fabler (ˈfabler)

noun

Word origin

ME < OFr < L fabula, a story < fari, to speak: see fame

Examples of 'fable' in a sentence
fable

The essential fable here is one of redemption.Perhaps in London fable and fact have a habit of colluding.Others are fables, with morals attached.Behind this fable lies a sacred Chinese belief that anything is possible, given enough time and manpower.Some reviewers have excused them by saying that this book is in fact a fable; but the plot is far too sprawling for that to seem plausible.Now I will tell a fable to the lords, although they can think for themselves.A sad fable, but one that spawned a million-dollar industry in signs.

In other languages
fable

British English: fable NOUN

A fable is a type of story, usually about animals, that teaches a lesson about human behaviour.

...the fable of the tortoise and the hare.

American English: fable
Brazilian Portuguese: fábula
Chinese: 寓言
European Spanish: fábula
French: fable
German: Fabel
Italian: favola
Japanese: 寓話
Korean: 우화
European Portuguese: fábula
Latin American Spanish: fábula

Chinese translation of 'fable'

fable

(ˈfeɪbl)

n

(c) (= story) 寓言 (yùyán) (则, zé)
(c/u) (= myth) 传(傳)说(說) (chuánshuō) (个(個), gè)

1 (noun) in the sense of legend

Definition

a story about mythical characters or events

Each tale has the timeless quality of fable.

Synonyms

legend

the legends of ancient Greece

myth

a famous Greek myth

parable

the parable of the Good Samaritan

allegory

The book is a kind of allegory of the country's history.

story

a popular love story with a happy ending

tale

a collection of poems and folk tales

apologue

2 (noun) in the sense of fiction

Definition

an unlikely story which is usually untrue

Are his election promises fact or fable?

Synonyms

fiction

Total recycling is a fiction.

lie

I've had enough of your lies.

fantasy

myth

Several popular myths endure about art thieves.

romance

invention

The story was undoubtedly pure invention.

yarn (informal)

Doug has a yarn or two to tell me about his trips into the bush.

fabrication

She described the interview with her as a `complete fabrication'.

falsehood

He accused them of knowingly spreading falsehoods about him.

fib

She told innocent fibs.

figment

It wasn't just a figment of my imagination.

untruth

The Authority accused estate agents of using blatant untruths.

fairy story (informal)

urban myth

white lie

tall story (informal)

urban legend

Opposites

fact

truth

reality

certainty

verity

actuality

related words

related adjective fabulous

Additional synonyms

in the sense of allegory

Definition

a story, poem, or picture with an underlying meaning as well as the literal one

The book is a kind of allegory of the country's history.

Synonyms

symbol,

story,

tale,

myth,

symbolism,

emblem,

fable,

parable,

apologue

in the sense of fabrication

She described the interview with her as a `complete fabrication'.

Synonyms

forgery,

lie,

fiction,

myth,

fake,

invention,

fable,

concoction,

falsehood,

figment,

untruth,

porky (British, slang),

fairy story (informal),

pork pie (British, slang),

cock-and-bull story (informal),

claptrap (informal)

in the sense of falsehood

Definition

a lie

He accused them of knowingly spreading falsehoods about him.

Synonyms

lie,

story (informal),

fiction,

fabrication,

fib,

untruth,

porky (British, slang),

pork pie (British, slang),

misstatement

Nearby words of
fable

eyewitness
fab
Fabian
fable
fabled
fabric
fabricate

Synonyms of 'fable'

fable

Explore 'fable' in the dictionary

单词	fable
释义	Trends of fable View usage for: fable (feɪbəl) Word forms: plural fables 1. variable noun A fable is a story which teaches a moral lesson. Fables sometimes have animals as the main characters. ...the fable of the tortoise and the hare. [+ of] Each tale has the timeless quality of fable. Synonyms: legend, myth, parable, allegory More Synonyms of fable 2. variable noun You can describe a statement or explanation that is untrue but that many people believe as fable. Is reincarnation fact or fable? ...little-known horticultural facts and fables. Synonyms: fiction, lie, fantasy, myth More Synonyms of fable fable in British English (ˈfeɪbəl) noun 1. a short moral story, esp one with animals as characters 2. a false, fictitious, or improbable account; fiction or lie 3. a story or legend about supernatural or mythical characters or events 4. legends or myths collectively ▶ Related adjective: fabulous 5. archaic the plot of a play or of an epic or dramatic poem verb 6. to relate or tell (fables) 7. (intransitive) to speak untruthfully; tell lies 8. (transitive) to talk about or describe in the manner of a fable ghosts are fabled to appear at midnight Derived forms fabler (ˈfabler) noun Word origin C13: from Latin fābula story, narrative, from fārī to speak, say fable in American English (ˈfeɪbəl) noun 1. a fictitious story meant to teach a moral lesson: the characters are usually talking animals 2. a myth or legend 3. a story that is not true; falsehood 4. Archaic the plot of a literary work verb intransitive, verb transitiveWord forms: ˈfabled or ˈfabling 5. to write or tell (fables, legends, or falsehoods) Derived forms fabler (ˈfabler) noun Word origin ME < OFr < L fabula, a story < fari, to speak: see fame Examples of 'fable' in a sentence fable The essential fable here is one of redemption. The Times Literary Supplement (2010) Perhaps in London fable and fact have a habit of colluding. Times, Sunday Times (2006) Others are fables, with morals attached. Times, Sunday Times (2015) Behind this fable lies a sacred Chinese belief that anything is possible, given enough time and manpower. Times, Sunday Times (2016) Some reviewers have excused them by saying that this book is in fact a fable; but the plot is far too sprawling for that to seem plausible. Times, Sunday Times (2015) Now I will tell a fable to the lords, although they can think for themselves. Kishlansky, Mark A. (editor) Sources of the West: Readings in Western Civilization, Volume 1: From the Beginningto 1715 (1995) A sad fable, but one that spawned a million-dollar industry in signs. Times, Sunday Times (2008) In other languages fable British English: fable NOUN A fable is a type of story, usually about animals, that teaches a lesson about human behaviour. ...the fable of the tortoise and the hare. American English: fable Brazilian Portuguese: fábula Chinese: 寓言 European Spanish: fábula French: fable German: Fabel Italian: favola Japanese: 寓話 Korean: 우화 European Portuguese: fábula Latin American Spanish: fábula Chinese translation of 'fable' fable (ˈfeɪbl) n (c) (= story) 寓言 (yùyán) (则, zé) (c/u) (= myth) 传(傳)说(說) (chuánshuō) (个(個), gè) 1 (noun) in the sense of legend Definition a story about mythical characters or events Each tale has the timeless quality of fable. Synonyms legend the legends of ancient Greece myth a famous Greek myth parable the parable of the Good Samaritan allegory The book is a kind of allegory of the country's history. story a popular love story with a happy ending tale a collection of poems and folk tales apologue 2 (noun) in the sense of fiction Definition an unlikely story which is usually untrue Are his election promises fact or fable? Synonyms fiction Total recycling is a fiction. lie I've had enough of your lies. fantasy myth Several popular myths endure about art thieves. romance invention The story was undoubtedly pure invention. yarn (informal) Doug has a yarn or two to tell me about his trips into the bush. fabrication She described the interview with her as a `complete fabrication'. falsehood He accused them of knowingly spreading falsehoods about him. fib She told innocent fibs. figment It wasn't just a figment of my imagination. untruth The Authority accused estate agents of using blatant untruths. fairy story (informal) urban myth white lie tall story (informal) urban legend Opposites fact , truth , reality , certainty , verity , actuality related words related adjective fabulous Additional synonyms in the sense of allegory Definition a story, poem, or picture with an underlying meaning as well as the literal one The book is a kind of allegory of the country's history. Synonyms symbol, story, tale, myth, symbolism, emblem, fable, parable, apologue in the sense of fabrication She described the interview with her as a `complete fabrication'. Synonyms forgery, lie, fiction, myth, fake, invention, fable, concoction, falsehood, figment, untruth, porky (British, slang), fairy story (informal), pork pie (British, slang), cock-and-bull story (informal), claptrap (informal) in the sense of falsehood Definition a lie He accused them of knowingly spreading falsehoods about him. Synonyms lie, story (informal), fiction, fabrication, fib, untruth, porky (British, slang), pork pie (British, slang), misstatement Nearby words of fable eyewitness fab Fabian fable fabled fabric fabricate Synonyms of 'fable' fable Explore 'fable' in the dictionary
随便看	unbenignant unbenignly unbent unbereft unberufen unbeseem unbeseeming unbeseemingly unbesought unbespeak unbespoke unbespoken unbestowed unbetrayed unbetterable unbettered unbewailed unbias unbiased unbiasedly unbiasedness unbiasing unbias(s)ed unbiassed unbiassedly

Trends offable

fable

fable in British English

fable in American English

Examples of 'fable' in a sentencefable

In other languagesfable

Chinese translation of 'fable'

fable

n

related words

Additional synonyms

Nearby words offable

Synonyms of 'fable'

fable

Trends of
fable

Examples of 'fable' in a sentence
fable

In other languages
fable

Nearby words of
fable