What does it mean?
I thought of these three words this morning.
Three words that sound an awful lot alike, but are not spelled the same, and do not mean the same thing.
elusion
allusion
illusion
Don’t trust me. Look at the definitions.
But more than that, take note of the pronunciations.
elusion | əˈlo͞oSHən |
noun
the action of escaping from or avoiding a danger, enemy, or pursuer, typically in a skillful or cunning way: his skills of elusion | his continued elusion of the authorities frustrated the President | [count noun] : a lengthy trail of elusions and sidesteps.
• the action of avoiding compliance with a law or penalty: provisions aimed at preventing fiscal evasion and elusion | [as modifier] : the tax elusion scheme was discovered during a targeted fiscal inquiry.
allusion | əˈlo͞oZH(ə)n |
noun
an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference: an allusion to Shakespeare | a classical allusion.
• the practice of making allusions, especially as an artistic device: the use of allusion.
ORIGIN
mid 16th century (denoting a pun, metaphor, or parable): from French, or from late Latin allusio(n-), from the verb alludere (see allude).
illusion | iˈlo͞oZH(ə)n |
noun
a thing that is or is likely to be wrongly perceived or interpreted by the senses: the illusion makes parallel lines seem to diverge by placing them on a zigzag-striped background.
• a deceptive appearance or impression: the illusion of family togetherness | the tension between illusion and reality.
• a false idea or belief: he had no illusions about the trouble she was in.
I’d make an allusion to these words as an illusion, but that would be an elusion.
Don’t go yet.
With that in mind:
Which of these three words describes the world in which we live?
And why?
“””””””
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.
— Helen Keller
“””””””
Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
— Martin Luther King, Jr.
“””””””
Change your thoughts and you change your world.
— Norman Vincent Peale
“””””””
This is not an elusion. Allusion. Illusion.
