1. The penis itself.
2. Specifically, an erect penis.
3. A representation of a phallus, often exaggerated, in art or
myth.
4. A non-literal representation of phallic shape, intent or
function.
.
1. It's a little pompous to refer to
one's penis as a phallus, but it is lexically correct.
2. A penis is for urination; when it becomes erect it is a phallus, serving sexual or reproductive purposes.
3.
Two representations of phallus:
a. For example, a primitive sculpture that shows a grotesquely large penis is using the organ as a phallus to indicate fertility, or to represent masculine potency in general.
b. Similarly, the exaggerated genitalia in the
work of gay artists such as Tom of
Finland emphasize the erotic quality of the phallus, sometimes called hyper-masculinity.
4. A penis, phallus or idea of potency symbolized in an object. The most commonly used term, derived from Freudian psychoanalysis, is called a phallic symbol.
One example of this is the very last
shot of Hitchcock's 1959 thriller NORTH BY NORTHWEST, which wittily shows a passenger train plunging into a tunnel. Because of the prior plot, the audience knows very
well that a train has erotic potential, so the last
shot indicates sexual intercourse.
.
