%anapest%

n. [ L. anapaestus, Gr. &unr_; an anapest, i.e., a dactyl reserved, or, as it were, struck back; fr. &unr_;; 'ana` back + &unr_; 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&ebreve_;-&ibreve_;-tās, and in English in-ter-vene&bprime_;, are examples of anapests. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A verse composed of such feet. [ 1913 Webster ]