Bookended: meaning, definitions and examples
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bookended
[ ˈbʊkˌɛndəd ]
literary usage
To bookend something means to enclose it or define its limits with specific elements at both ends, often providing symmetry or contrast. This term is commonly used in literature, music, and art to describe structures or themes that are mirrored or repeated at the beginning and end of a piece.
Synonyms
border, encapsulate, enclose, frame.
Examples of usage
- The poem is bookended by the same refrain.
- Her speech was bookended with quotes from famous leaders.
- The film is bookended by scenes set in a rainy city.
- The novel is bookended with a prologue and an epilogue.
Translations
Translations of the word "bookended" in other languages:
🇵🇹 encerrado
🇮🇳 पुस्तक-समाप्त
🇩🇪 eingeschlossen
🇮🇩 dibatasi
🇺🇦 окреслений
🇵🇱 otoczony
🇯🇵 本で囲まれた
🇫🇷 encadré
🇪🇸 encerrado
🇹🇷 sınırlandırılmış
🇰🇷 책으로 둘러싸인
🇸🇦 محدود
🇨🇿 ohraničený
🇸🇰 ohraničený
🇨🇳 被书籍包围
🇸🇮 obkrožen
🇮🇸 umgjörð
🇰🇿 кітаппен шектелген
🇬🇪 წიგნით შემოწირული
🇦🇿 kitabla əhatə olunmuş
🇲🇽 encerrado
Etymology
The term 'bookend' originated from the physical objects used to support books on a shelf, which visually 'bookend' the collection of books. The word 'book' dates back to the Old English 'bōc,' meaning a written document or record. The element '-end' refers to a limit or boundary. The figurative use of 'bookend' emerged in the 20th century, primarily used in literary and artistic contexts to describe a structure or thematic element that starts and finishes a narrative or composition. The concept implies a sense of completeness and reflection, inviting audiences to draw connections between the beginning and end of the work. As a verb, 'to bookend' became popular in various fields such as theater and film, where creators strategically frame their pieces to enhance emotional impact or thematic coherence.