Zeugma
One word yoked to two others that it governs in two different ways — she took her coat and her leave.
Full definition of Zeugma →:: COMPARE ::
ZeugmavsSyllepsis
The short answer
The standard teaching is that zeugma covers the yoking generally while syllepsis names the case where the governing word applies in two different senses. That distinction is real in some traditions and reversed or absent in others — so treat any confident version, including this one, as one school's convention.
Side by side
| Aspect | Zeugma | Syllepsis |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | The yoking | The sense shift |
| Agreed | No | No |
| Used as synonyms | Frequently | Frequently |
| Greek sense | A yoking | A taking together |
What each one means
Syllepsis
The contrast above sets out how Syllepsis differs from Zeugma on the points that actually matter.