zeugma

zeug·ma  (zgm)

n.

1. A construction in which a single word, especially a verb or an adjective, is applied to two or more nouns when its sense is appropriate to only one of them or to both in different ways, as in He took my advice and my wallet.

2. Syllepsis.

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[Latin, from Greek, a joining, bond; see yeug- in Indo-European roots.]

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zeugma

the use of a word grammatically related to two adjacent words, but inappropriate for one of them, as in “he loved both his wife and his wallet.” — zeugmatic, adj.

See also: Rhetoric and Rhetorical Devices

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

zeugma - use of a word to govern two or more words though appropriate to only one; "`Mr. Pickwick took his hat and his leave' is an example of zeugma" figure of speech, trope, image, figure - language used in a figurative or nonliteral sense syllepsis - use of a word to govern two or more words though agreeing in number or case etc. with only one