An"a*pest (#), n. [L. anapaestus, Gr. an anapest, i.e., a dactyl reserved, or, as it were, struck back; fr. ; back + to strike.]

1. Pros.

A metrical foot consisting of three syllables, the first two short, or unaccented, the last long, or accented (#); the reverse of the dactyl. In Latin d--tas, and in English in-ter-vene, are examples of anapests.

2.

A verse composed of such feet.

 

© Webster 1913.