par·a·ble /ˈpærəbəl/
 寓言,比喻


 Par·a·ble a.  Procurable. [Obs.]


 Par·a·ble, n.  A comparison; a similitude; specifically, a short fictitious narrative of something which might really occur in life or nature, by means of which a moral is drawn; as, the parables of Christ.
    Declare unto us the parable of the tares.   --Matt. xiii. 36.
 Syn: -- See Allegory, and Note under Apologue.


 Par·a·ble, v. t. To represent by parable. [R.]
    Which by the ancient sages was thus parabled.   --Milton.

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 parable
      n 1: a short moral story (often with animal characters) [syn: fable,
            allegory, apologue]
      2: (New Testament) any of the stories told by Jesus to convey
         his religious message; "the parable of the prodigal son"


 Parable
    (Gr. parabole), a placing beside; a comparison; equivalent to
    the Heb. mashal, a similitude. In the Old Testament this is used
    to denote (1) a proverb (1 Sam. 10:12; 24:13; 2 Chr. 7:20), (2)
    a prophetic utterance (Num. 23:7; Ezek. 20:49), (3) an enigmatic
    saying (Ps. 78:2; Prov. 1:6). In the New Testament, (1) a
    proverb (Mark 7:17; Luke 4:23), (2) a typical emblem (Heb. 9:9;
    11:19), (3) a similitude or allegory (Matt. 15:15; 24:32; Mark
    3:23; Luke 5:36; 14:7); (4) ordinarily, in a more restricted
    sense, a comparison of earthly with heavenly things, "an earthly
    story with a heavenly meaning," as in the parables of our Lord.

      Instruction by parables has been in use from the earliest
    times. A large portion of our Lord's public teaching consisted
    of parables. He himself explains his reasons for this in his
    answer to the inquiry of the disciples, "Why speakest thou to
    them in parables?" (Matt. 13:13-15; Mark 4:11, 12; Luke 8:9,
    10). He followed in so doing the rule of the divine procedures,
    as recorded in Matt. 13:13.

      The parables uttered by our Lord are all recorded in the
    synoptical (i.e., the first three) Gospels. The fourth Gospel
    contains no parable properly so called, although the
    illustration of the good shepherd (John 10:1-16) has all the
    essential features of a parable. (See List of Parables in
    Appendix.)