hysteron proteron
/ˌhɪstərɒn ˈprɒtərɒn
/noun Rhetoric
A figure of speech in which what naturally would come last is put first, for example ‘I die! I faint! I fail!’.The reverse chronological order of these actions is an example of hysteron proteron, from the Greek for ‘later/first.’...
- Shakespeare is a master in the use of hysteron proteron.
Origin
Mid 16th century: late Latin, from Greek husteron proteron 'the latter (put in place of) the former'.
- the land of the free
- the last minute
- the last (or final) straw
- the last straw
- the last word
- the laugh is on me (or you, him, etc.)
- the Law
- (the law of) diminishing returns
- the Law of Moses
- the law of the jungle
- the Left
- the length and breadth of
- the lesser evil (or the lesser of two evils)
- the Lido
- the lie (lay) of the land
- the life and soul of the party (the life of the party)
- the light of day
- the light of one's life
- the lights are on, but nobody's (or no one's)home
- the likes of
- the Line
- the line of least resistance
- the line (or path) of least resistance
- the lion's den
- the lion's share