What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Russell said he would put in a good word for Maria with their boss, but she knew he had a reputation as a Benedict Arnold.
U.S. history a poem
An allusion is a brief mention of something or someone well known, often from mythology, history, or literature. An allusion lets you reference ideas from an entire story in just a few words.
The protean nature of the disease makes it difficult to diagnose.
The word protean is an allusion to the sea god Proteus in Greek mythology. Because the sea is constantly changing, to describe something as protean suggests that it is variable or in flux.
The source of the allusion Benedict Arnold is U.S. history.
Benedict Arnold was an American officer who secretly aided the British during the American Revolution.
The allusion Benedict Arnold means a traitor.