All languages combined word senses marked with topical category "Plot devices"

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Parent categories: Fiction, Narratology, Artistic works, Drama, Literature, Art, Theater, Culture, Entertainment, Writing, Society, Human behaviour, Language, Human, Communication
Subcategories: Magic words

Total 119 word senses

• Avada Kedavra (Verb) [English] To use the killing curse from the Harry Potter series on (someone), causing immediate death.
• Belly of the Whale (Noun) [English] A story element which represents the final separation from a hero's known world and self.
• Chekhov's gun (Proper name) [English] An element that is introduced early in the story whose significance to the plot does not become clear until later.
• MacGuffin (Noun) [English] A plot element or other device used to catch the audience's attention and maintain suspense, but whose exact nature has fairly little influence over the storyline.
• Mary Sue (Noun) [English] A fictional character, usually female, whose implausible talents and likeability weaken the story.
• Truck-kun (Proper name) [English] In the isekai genre, a truck that sets off the plot by hitting the protagonist, transporting them into the fantastical setting (typically by killing them in the real world).
• a fost odată (Phrase) [Romanian] once upon a time
• abracadabra (Noun) [English] A use of the mystical term ‘abracadabra’, supposed to work as part of a healing charm or a magical spell; any spell or incantation making use of the word.
• abracadabra (Noun) [English] Mumbo jumbo; obscure language or technicalities; jargon.
• abracadabra (Interjection) [English] Used to indicate that a magic trick or other illusion has been performed.
• abracadabrangle (Noun) [English] A representation of the word "abracadabra" in the visual form of a triangle, used as an amulet or charm.
• abrakadabra (Noun) [Norwegian Bokmål] abracadabra (magic formula where the first line contains these letters)
• abrakadabra (Noun) [Norwegian Bokmål] abracadabra (mumbo-jumbo; obscure language or technicalities; jargon.)
• abrakadabra (Interjection) [Norwegian Bokmål] abracadabra (used to indicate that a magic trick or other illusion has been performed.)
• abrakadabra (Noun) [Polish] abracadabra, mumbo jumbo (complicated technical or other jargon)
• abrakadabra (Noun) [Tagalog] abracadabra
• alakazam (Interjection) [English] A magic word used in conjuring; presto, shazaam.
• analepsis (Noun) [English] A form of flashback in which earlier parts of a narrative are related to others that have already been narrated
• balonium (Noun) [English] A fictional chemical element.
• bazen behin (Phrase) [Basque] once upon a time
• bed trick (Noun) [English] A plot device in traditional literature and theatre where a character begins sexual activity with someone else, then steals away after the lights are off, allowing another character to continue instead.
• behin batean (Phrase) [Basque] once upon a time
• bha siud ann uaireigin (Phrase) [Scottish Gaelic] once upon a time
• bibbidi-bobbidi-boo (Interjection) [English] A light-hearted magical incantation.
• big red button (Noun) [English] A real, fictional, or figurative button that controls a function of critical importance and that is usually large and red, ensuring quick identification.
• biri var idi, biri yox idi (Phrase) [Azerbaijani] once upon a time
• bomba zegarowa (Noun) [Polish] time bomb (situation that threatens to have disastrous consequences at some future time)
• bury your gays (Noun) [English] A fiction trope where gay characters tend to die or generally meet some bad end.
• bylo nebylo (Phrase) [Czech] once upon a time (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales)
• c'era una volta (Phrase) [Italian] once upon a time
• cando os animais falaban (Phrase) [Galician] once upon a time
• cliffhanger (Noun) [English] An outcome which is awaited with keen anticipation, especially one which is delayed for a period of time or which is not known until the last minute.
• czary-mary (Interjection) [Polish] hocus-pocus! (said by performing magician to indicate the moment of performing a magical trick or illusion)
• dangler (Noun) [English] A dangling modifier, especially a dangling participle.
• deathtrap (Noun) [English] A plot device where a villain in a story puts a hero in an elaborate dangerous situation for the purposes of attempting a sadistic murder.
• der var engang (Phrase) [Danish] once upon a time
• deus ex machina (Noun) [English] A deity in Greek and Roman drama who was brought in by stage machinery to intervene in a difficult situation (i.e., to resolve a crisis, or untangle issues surrounding it, a character logically expected to do so).
• dreamworld (Noun) [English] An imaginary world, such as experienced while dreaming.
• ello foi una vegada (Adverb) [Asturian] (idiomatic) once upon a time
• er was eens (Phrase) [Dutch] once upon a time there was
• era uma vez (Adverb) [Portuguese] once upon a time
• es war einmal (Phrase) [German] once upon a time
• eucatastrophe (Noun) [English] A catastrophe (dramatic event leading to plot resolution) that results in the protagonist's well-being.
• fadó fadó (Adverb) [Irish] once upon a time
• flashback (Noun) [English] A dramatic device in which an earlier event is inserted into the normal chronological flow of a narrative.
• guionazo (Noun) [Spanish] a deus ex machina; a narrative decision that resolves a conflict at the expense of logical consistency or narrative coherence; a conflict resolution that leads to a plot hole; a contrived plot resolution.
• había una vez (Phrase) [Spanish] once upon a time
• hamartia (Noun) [English] The tragic flaw of the protagonist in a literary tragedy.
• handwavium (Noun) [English] Any hypothetical but unobtainable material with desirable engineering properties.
• happily ever after (Noun) [English] A story with such a happy ending, such as a romance novel or fairy tale.
• happy end (Noun) [French] happy ending
• happy end (Noun) [Polish] happy ending (clichéd conclusion in which all loose ends are tied up and all main characters are content)
• happy ending (Noun) [English] A clichéd conclusion in which all loose ends are tied up and all main characters are content.
• hey pass (Interjection) [English] A conjurer's exclamation on performing a magic trick; hey presto.
• hey presto (Interjection) [English] Used by stage magicians, when performing a magic trick.
• hocus pocus (Interjection) [English] Alternative spelling of hocus-pocus
• hocus pocus (Noun) [Dutch] hocus-pocus
• hocus pocus (Interjection) [Dutch] hocus-pocus
• hocus-pocus (Interjection) [English] A phrase used (by a stage magician, etc.) as a magical incantation to bring about some change: abracadabra, hey presto.
• hokus-pokus (Interjection) [Polish] hocus-pocus! (said by performing magician to indicate the moment of performing a magical trick or illusion)
• horse and hattock (Interjection) [English] A call that invokes the fairies to transport someone or something.
• il était une fois (Phrase) [French] there was once…; once upon a time, there was… (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales)
• ils vécurent heureux et eurent beaucoup d'enfants (Phrase) [French] they lived happily ever after (used at the end of fairy tales)
• kouzelná hůlka (Noun) [Czech] magic wand
• kouzelný proutek (Noun) [Czech] magic wand
• latający dywan (Noun) [Polish] flying carpet, magic carpet (carpet capable of magical flight)
• love polygon (Noun) [English] A situation in which at least two people vie for the love of another individual.
• love quadrangle (Noun) [English] A situation in which three people vie for the love of a fourth person.
• love rectangle (Noun) [English] Synonym of love quadrangle
• love triangle (Noun) [English] A situation in which two suitors vie or compete for the love of the same person.
• magic carpet (Noun) [English] A carpet capable either of magical flight, or instantaneous transport from one place to another, used as a means of travel.
• magic wand (Noun) [English] A wand, usually made of wood, that is used to perform magic.
• meet cute (Noun) [English] A situation in a film, television series, etc., in which a potential romantic couple meet for the first time in a way that is considered adorable, amusing, or cute.
• olim (Adverb) [Latin] often, for some time
• olipa kerran (Phrase) [Finnish] once upon a time there was
• once upon a time (Adverb) [English] A long time ago; at some time in the past (a traditional beginning of children's stories, especially fairy tales).
• open sesame (Phrase) [English] open up (especially referring to doors)
• pay-off (Noun) [English] A payment in full; the state of having been paid in full.
• phlebotinum (Noun) [English] A fictional material used by authors to develop a plot requiring a material with properties not possessed by any real material.
• plot coupon (Noun) [English] An object sought by a character in a story in order to achieve some objective, having little purpose beyond advancing the plot.
• plot device (Noun) [English] An element introduced into a story, film, etc. to advance its plot.
• presto change-o (Interjection) [English] Alternative form of presto chango
• quest (Noun) [English] A journey or effort in pursuit of a goal (often lengthy, ambitious, or fervent); a mission.
• quest (Noun) [English] A journey or effort in pursuit of a goal (often lengthy, ambitious, or fervent); a mission.; A task that a player may complete in order to gain a reward or advance the story.
• quest (Noun) [English] The act of seeking, or looking after anything; attempt to find or obtain; search; pursuit.
• quest (Verb) [English] To search for something; to seek.
• red herring (Noun) [English] A red herring prospectus.
• reset button (Noun) [English] A plot device that interrupts continuity in works of fiction, by returning characters and situations to the status quo they held before certain changes were introduced.
• retcon (Noun) [English] A situation, in a soap opera or other fiction, in which a new storyline explains or changes a previous event or attaches a new significance to it.
• retrospekcja (Noun) [Polish] analepsis, flashback (dramatic device in which an earlier event is inserted into the normal chronological flow of a narrative)
• seniai, labai seniai (Phrase) [Lithuanian] once upon a time
• shazaam (Interjection) [English] Alternative spelling of shazam
• shoulder angel (Noun) [English] An angel representing a person's conscience in works of fiction, portrayed as sitting on one shoulder while a shoulder devil occupies the other.
• shoulder devil (Noun) [English] A devil representing a person's temptations in works of fiction, portrayed as sitting on one shoulder while a shoulder angel occupies the other.
• time bomb (Noun) [English] A situation that threatens to have disastrous consequences at some future time.
• tragic flaw (Noun) [English] A personality trait or other characteristic of a real or fictional individual which is immoral, destructive, or otherwise faulty and which leads to the ruin or profound suffering of that individual.
• triângulo amoroso (Noun) [Portuguese] love triangle (situation in which two people vie for the love of a third)
• unobtainium (Noun) [English] A fictional material or component which, if it existed, would enable one to easily solve a hard problem.
• unwaith (Adverb) [Welsh] once
• érase una vez (Phrase) [Spanish] once upon a time
• حاجيتك ما جيتك (Phrase) [Moroccan Arabic] once upon a time
• روزی از روزها (Phrase) [Persian] a day among the days
• روزی روزگاری (Phrase) [Persian] once upon a time
• یکی بود یکی نبود (Phrase) [Persian] once upon a time (literally One was, one wasn't.)
• լինում է, չի լինում (Phrase) [Armenian] Once upon a time. Literally, “there was, there was not…”.
• կար-չկար (Phrase) [Armenian] Once upon a time. Literally, “there was, there was not…”.
• 昔昔 (Noun) [Japanese] ancient times, a very long time ago
• имало едно време (Phrase) [Bulgarian] once upon a time
• ковёр-самолёт (Noun) [Russian] flying carpet, magic carpet (carpet capable of magical flight)
• იყო და არა იყო რა (Phrase) [Georgian] once upon a time
• μια φορά κι έναν καιρό (Phrase) [Greek] once upon a time
• 절단마공 (Noun) [Korean] cliffhanger (plot device)
• ゆめおち (Noun) [Japanese] Revealing that the a story was all part of a dream; the "it was all a dream" ending.
• クリフハンガー (Noun) [Japanese] a cliffhanger
• デウス・エクス・マキナ (Noun) [Japanese] deus ex machina
• トゥルーエンド (Noun) [Japanese] "true" ending of a storyline with multiple endings (as decided by the game's creator), which is usually the most idyllic and ideal
• ハッピーエンド (Noun) [Japanese] a happy ending (happy end)
• అబ్రకదబ్ర (Interjection) [Telugu] abracadabra : Used to indicate that a magic trick or other illusion has been performed.
• กาลครั้งหนึ่ง (Phrase) [Thai] once upon a time.

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