iambus

Antispast, an′ti-spast, n. in metre, a foot composed of an iambus and a trochee.—adj.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various

The daintiest alternation of iambus and trochee is joined to the serpent's cunning in swiftly tripping dactyls.

From Shandygaff by Morley, Christopher

For blank verse is but a restricted prose, because there is as often as not no natural pause at the end of the line, and because other feet may be substituted for the iambus.

From The Literature of Ecstasy by Mordell, Albert

Only we must be careful that by "iambus," in English poetry, we meant an unstressed syllable, rather than a short syllable followed by a long one.

From A Study of Poetry by Perry, Bliss

It is almost wholly destitute of quantity, and the intonation which supplies that want is of such a kind that hardly any foot but the iambus is possible in it.

From A Short History of French Literature by Saintsbury, George

Certainly those sun-burnt "doughboys" were not bothering themselves about trochees and iambi and such toys of cultivated "literary" persons; they were amusing themselves on the march by inventing words to fit the "goose-step."

From A Study of Poetry by Perry, Bliss

Robert darted to the door, and rushed to the inn, leaving Caumill describing iambi on the road behind him.

From Robert Falconer by MacDonald, George

These specimens, as is usual in anapestic verse, show considerable freedom in the treatment of the part of the foot containing the light syllables, substituted iambi being very common.

From English Verse Specimens Illustrating its Principles and History by Alden, Raymond MacDonald

Here the tendency is to use iambi and anapests in alternate feet; see especially lines 2, 3, and 5.

From English Verse Specimens Illustrating its Principles and History by Alden, Raymond MacDonald

Here frequent iambi are substituted for anapests; as in line 1, second and fourth feet; lines 2 and 3, fifth foot; line 5, third foot.

From English Verse Specimens Illustrating its Principles and History by Alden, Raymond MacDonald

Trimeter iambus, consisting of six feet, which are generally all iambuses.

From History of Roman Literature from its Earliest Period to the Augustan Age. Volume I by Dunlop, John

Thus we have learned to scan lines by iambuses, or rather by their accentual imitations, and a perfect line would consist of ten syllables, of which the alternate ones bore a rhythmical stress.

From The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [9 vols.] Introduction and Publisher's Advertising by Clark, William George

It does not have to consist of five iambuses only, but other feet may be substituted almost at the caprice of the poet.

From The Literature of Ecstasy by Mordell, Albert

It was not by chance that the line of five iambuses became the dominant metre of our language.

From Writings in the United Amateur, 1915-1922 by Lovecraft, H. P. (Howard Phillips)

But the tendency of the Alexandrine consisting merely of the usual iambuses, is to convey slowness—although it conveys this idea feebly, on account of conveying it indirectly.

From Graham's Magazine Vol XXXII No. 1 January 1848 by Conrad, Robert Taylor