short metre

British  

noun

1. a stanza form, used esp for hymns, consisting of four lines, the third of which has eight syllables, while the rest have six

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

short metre

The light, short metre in which Butler composed his comic narrative was well suited to the subject, and corresponded to the "swift iambics" of Archilochus.

From History of English Humour, Vol. 1 With an Introduction upon Ancient Humour by L'Estrange, Alfred Guy Kingan

Thinks I, I don't cleverly know whether that indicates 'walk in,' or 'walk out,' its plaguy short metre, that's a fact; but I'll see any how.

From The Clockmaker — or, the Sayings and Doings of Samuel Slick, of Slickville by Haliburton, Thomas Chandler

He said, No, he could have a large force of infantry to help him there, in very short metre, if there was any sudden emergency.

From The Wound Dresser A Series of Letters Written from the Hospitals in Washington during the War of the Rebellion by Whitman, Walt

Skelton adopted, as we have seen, a quick, short metre, somewhat analogous to the "Swift Iambics," of the Greek humorists.

From History of English Humour, Vol. 1 With an Introduction upon Ancient Humour by L'Estrange, Alfred Guy Kingan

The style is for the most part rimed stanzas in short metre, which go trippingly on the tongue.

From The Advance of English Poetry in the Twentieth Century by Phelps, William Lyon