catalexis

Definitions

n. The absence of one or more syllables in a line of verse, especially in the last foot.

n. A shortened or incomplete last foot at the end of a verse.
n. Truncation at the close of a line of poetry by omission of one or two final syllables.

n. In prosody, incompleteness of the last foot or measure of a verse; in a wider sense, incompleteness of any foot in a verse.

Greek katalēxis, from katalēgein, to leave off; see catalectic.

(American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Nearly all English metres owe their existence as metres to "catalexis," or pause, for the time of one or more feet, and, as

The Unknown Eros
Getting the vapors over a critic screaming his outrage in full-throated disgust at the abandonment of humane ideals is to play the courtly stooge in a manner most unbecoming an honest mind. — catalexis

Easing Off Online Obscenities - The Caucus Blog - NYTimes.com
What does that say about the prospects for assimilation of newcomers from Mexico? catalexis Says:

Matthew Yglesias » The Land of Many Kims
* With apologies to catalexis, I took the liberty of substituting a Baby Sinclair picture that I think more closely captures the batshit craziness of Huggy Bear.

Caption Contest
Report this comment to the moderators catalexis Writes:

And a bit more on real manhood
For information on the generally overlooked but primarily important function of catalexis in English verse I refer such readers as may be curious about the subject to the Essay printed as an appendix to the later editions of my collected poems.

The Unknown Eros
_̷ ◡ ◡ _̷ ◡ _̷ ◡ _̷ ◡ _̷ that is, 5-stress trochaic, with dactylic substitution in the first foot and truncation or catalexis of the last foot in the second and fourth lines; or perhaps iambic, with anapestic substitution in the second foot and a feminine ending in the first and third lines.

The Principles of English Versification
a rule, the position and amount of catalexis are fixed.

The Unknown Eros