Echo.

The Romans say that Echo was a nymph in love with Narcissus, but her love not being returned, she pined away till only her voice remained. We use the word to imply similarity of sentiment: as You echo my ideas; That is an echo to my opinion.        

“Sweet Echo, sweetest nymph, that livʹst unseen


Within thy airy shell,


By slow Meänder’s margent green

Canst thou not tell me of a gentle pair

That likest thy Narcissus are?”


Milton: Comus, 230, etc.

1

previous entry · index · next entry

Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

Ebudæ
Ecce Homo
Ecce Signum
Eccentric
Eccentric Sensation
Eccentric Theory (The)
Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastical
Ecclesiasticus
Echidna (E-kid-na)
Echo
Echo
Eckhardt
Eclectics
Eclipses
Ecliptic
Eclogue
Ecnephia
École des Femmes
Economy
Economy of Nature (The)

See Also:

Echo