litotes
英 [laɪ'təʊtiːz]
美[laɪ'totiz]
- n. 曲言法；间接肯定法；反叙法
英英释意
- 1. understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary);
- "saying `I was not a little upset' when you mean `I was very upset' is an example of litotes"