In literature, a kenning is a magic poetic phrase, a figure of speech, substituted for the usual name of a person or thing. From Wordnik.com. [Archive 2008-03-01] Reference
“We call it kenning,” I said. From Wordnik.com. [Ancient, Strange, and Lovely] Reference
Now began the hard part; the part that required kenning. From Wordnik.com. [Born To Run]
Such rings have a kenning-a sense of their wearer's right. From Wordnik.com. [Moonheart]
He that is ill of his harbery, is good of his way kenning. From Wordnik.com. [Collection of Scotch Proverbs] Reference
Mom says it means “to know,” the word “kenning” does. From Wordnik.com. [Ancient, Strange, and Lovely] Reference
He read everything: natural history, biography, brood kenning. From Wordnik.com. [A Fire Upon the Deep]
Mostly connected to kenning, but they seeped into other places. From Wordnik.com. [Ancient, Strange, and Lovely] Reference
Ay, ay; thou is a cunning lad for kenning the hours of bargaining. From Wordnik.com. [Chronicles of the Canongate] Reference
Ay, ay -- thou is a cunning lad for kenning the hours of bargaining. From Wordnik.com. [The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 10, No. 280, October 27, 1827] Reference
I reached for him in the kenning way and felt a panicky little tingle. From Wordnik.com. [Ancient, Strange, and Lovely] Reference
I used to think we were outsiders, before, keeping the kenning secret. From Wordnik.com. [Ancient, Strange, and Lovely] Reference
The kenning secret—that was drilled into her, practically from birth. From Wordnik.com. [Ancient, Strange, and Lovely] Reference
Verse 3, Line 2: 'Marion' (Maid) was one of the kenning or code names for. From Wordnik.com. [Lady Traquair's Brew] Reference
She lifted the wing, still gazing at me, and the kenning softened to a plea. From Wordnik.com. [Ancient, Strange, and Lovely] Reference
I suppose I could try kenning them now, so that I could duplicate them later. From Wordnik.com. [Knight Of Ghosts And Shadows]
I find myself curiously reluctant to construct a kenning for myself, actually. From Wordnik.com. [mrissa: Also] Reference
Saxon kenning, have been a feature of the epic from its earliest manifestation. From Wordnik.com. [MOTIF] Reference
Anyone care to try inventing a modern riddle or kenning for Blogger and its vagaries?. From Wordnik.com. [Old English Riddles - a thousand years of double entendre] Reference
Though apparently, when they were little, Aunt Pen had had some serious kenning cred. From Wordnik.com. [Ancient, Strange, and Lovely] Reference
The kenning, a metaphorical compound-word or phrase, is a descriptive stand-in for a noun. From Wordnik.com. [Poem of the week: A Trace of Wings by Edwin Morgan] Reference
This has the advantage of giving a parallel to 'brontne ceol' instead of a kenning for 'go.'. From Wordnik.com. [Beowulf An Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem] Reference
I felt a second kenning, milder this time, and understood that she wanted something from me. From Wordnik.com. [Ancient, Strange, and Lovely] Reference
I missed Stella, missed her there beside me, missed the comfort of our kenning conversations. From Wordnik.com. [Ancient, Strange, and Lovely] Reference
It actually takes years to get kenning worked out with your bird—no matter how talented you are. From Wordnik.com. [Ancient, Strange, and Lovely] Reference
I tried listening for the critter in the kenning way, tried to feel him down through all the decks. From Wordnik.com. [Ancient, Strange, and Lovely] Reference
Brood kenning was a limited form of it, though mainly concerned with gross physical characteristics. From Wordnik.com. [A Fire Upon the Deep]
Brood kenning had so many concepts without referents in human language that even Pilgrim couldn't make it clear. From Wordnik.com. [A Fire Upon the Deep]
These "clues" in turn suggest the Anglo-Saxon/Old Norse kenning, reminding us that Morgan was a fine translator of Beowulf. From Wordnik.com. [Poem of the week: A Trace of Wings by Edwin Morgan] Reference
“I wish there was a summat to eat up their drovers,” said another; “a plain Englishman canna make bread within a kenning of them.”. From Wordnik.com. [Chronicles of the Canongate] Reference
He that's ill o 'his harboury is gude at the way-kenning. From Wordnik.com. [The Proverbs of Scotland] Reference
But, kenning the worst, in my heart of hearts, I hanker. From Wordnik.com. [Krindlesyke] Reference
"There's things it's best to put off kenning as lang as we can.". From Wordnik.com. [The Little Minister] Reference
"An 'fat the better wad you be for the kenning o' this, man?" said he. From Wordnik.com. [The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner] Reference
He was the first to recognize the significance of kenning, metaphor, and compound. From Wordnik.com. [The Translations of Beowulf A Critical Bibliography] Reference
I wish I could set her on again without this blood-sucker kenning what I am doing. From Wordnik.com. [The Heart of Mid-Lothian] Reference
Pluck up a good spirit, boys, ’tis within a kenning. From Wordnik.com. [Five books of the lives, heroic deeds and sayings of Gargantua and his son Pantagruel] Reference
Ruth spared that madness: and kenning she’s just myself. From Wordnik.com. [Krindlesyke] Reference
"a plain Englishman canna make bread within a kenning of them.". From Wordnik.com. [The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 10, No. 280, October 27, 1827] Reference
"You're waur than her, Nanny," Sanders said roughly, "for you hae twa reasons for kenning better. From Wordnik.com. [The Little Minister] Reference
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