Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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phrase
A transparently absurd claim, often accepted as a result of a tyrannical government or mass delusion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: excessive, figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Popularized by George Orwell's 1949 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, referencing a scene in which the protagonist Winston Smith wonders if the authoritarian Inner Party would declare that "two plus two equals five". However, figurative use dates back to the 18th century.
