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accismus (ak-SIZ-muhs) - n., (rhet.) the feigned refusal of or disinterest in something, while actually desiring it.
When the fox claimed the grapes were probably sour anyway, or when someone says, "Oh, I'm not worthy of this honor." From Greek, like most rhetorical terms, but unlike most the origin is obscure -- the most common story is that it's named after a woman who supposedly did this a lot, but there's plenty of disagreement over this.
---L.
When the fox claimed the grapes were probably sour anyway, or when someone says, "Oh, I'm not worthy of this honor." From Greek, like most rhetorical terms, but unlike most the origin is obscure -- the most common story is that it's named after a woman who supposedly did this a lot, but there's plenty of disagreement over this.
---L.
