William S. Burroughs
1
6.5
- proper noun
- /ˈwɪljəm ɛs ˈbʌroʊz/
- NSFW
- The works of William S. Burroughs often explore themes of addiction and identity.
Examples
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William S. Burroughs was associated with other Beat writers like Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac.
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Many critics regard William S. Burroughs as a key influence on postmodern literature.
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I love William S. Burroughs!
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Did you read William S. Burroughs' works?
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William S. Burroughs is considered one of the most important writers in American literature, particularly for his insights into addiction.
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Many readers find William S. Burroughs's style unique, reflecting the chaotic nature of life as a drug user.
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William S. Burroughs was a prominent figure during the Beat Generation, influencing countless writers with his unconventional narratives.
Synonyms
1
7.6
An American writer famous for Naked Lunch and stories about drug addiction and life outside normal society
Surface Forms
Morphology
William + S. + Burroughs
This is a personal proper name rather than a compositional phrase: the constituents 'William', 'S.' and 'Burroughs' are name elements and do not combine to yield the biographical meaning. A B1 learner who knows the words would recognize it as a person's name but could not derive that this specific person is an American writer or the other encyclopedic details, so the meaning is not transparently predictable from the parts.
Etymology
William S. Burroughs is an American writer known for raw stories about drug addiction and life outside the rules. One memorable image is his 'cut-up' method, where he cut and mixed pieces of text to make strange new writing, and because of that and his work with other writers of the 'Beat Generation', his name now stands for bold, unusual writing about outsiders.