May be this will help the lions some more: also from the same source, American Heritage Dictionary.
Irony: The essential feature of irony is the indirect presentation of a contradiction between an action or expression and the context in which it occurs. In the figure of speech, emphasis is placed on the opposition between the literal and intended meaning of a statement; one thing is said and its opposite implied, as in the comment, -- Beautiful Weather, isnt it -- made when it is raining or nasty.
