Fa"ble , v. t. To feign; to invent; to devise, and speak of, as true or real;
to tell of falsely.
The hell thou
fablest.
Milton.
Fa"ble , v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fabled (?);
p. pr. & vb. n.
Fabling (?).]
To compose fables; hence, to write or speak fiction ; to write or utter what is
not true. "He Fables not."
Shak.
Vain now the tales
which fabling poets tell.
Prior. He
fables, yet speaks truth.
M.
Arnold.
Fa"ble (fā"b'l), n. [F., fr. L. fabula, fr.
fari to speak, say. See Ban, and cf. Fabulous, Fame.]
1. A Feigned story or tale, intended to instruct or amuse; a fictitious narration intended to enforce some useful truth or precept; an apologue. See the Note
under Apologue.
Jotham's fable of the trees is
the oldest extant.
Addison.
2. The plot, story, or connected series of events, forming the subject of an epic or dramatic poem.
The
moral is the first business of the poet; this being formed, he contrives such a design
or fable as may be most suitable to the moral.
Dryden.
3. Any story told to
excite wonder; common talk; the theme of
talk. "Old wives' fables. " 1 Tim. iv. 7.
We grew
The fable of the city where we dwelt.
Tennyson.
4. Fiction; untruth; falsehood.
It would look
like a fable to report that this gentleman gives away a
great fortune by secret methods.
Addison.
Hear it pronounced