It is accepted to understand a certain look as a litote (comes from the Greek litotes - restraint, simplicity) a track, i.e. a stylistic figure. Litotes are subdivided into the return hyperboles and definition by method of denial opposite.
Use of double denial in a litote results in the special expressiveness of a turn of speech which is expressed in intended decrease in level of quality or property of the discussed subject speaking, expression "not without intention" can be an example of a similar "household" litote. Addition of denial to the estimated categories which already have the negative contents is possible: quite good, fairly clever. The semantic value of such expressions corresponds to the definitions which are not containing denial - intentionally, good, clever, but bear in themselves the relation speaking to a subject of discussion and transfer incomplete confidence in extent of manifestation of such qualities. "It is not bad told" - instead of "it is well told" or "reasonably useful" - instead of "useful".
Especially brightly such use of litotes is shown in the poetic speech: Not expensively I appreciate the loud rights,
From which not one is turned the head. A. PushkinO, I not badly lived in this world! N. ZabolotskiyVer: I listened not without participation, I greedy caught each sound. N. NekrasovLitota can exist also in the whole syntactic units with transfer of denial in a modal part of the offer instead of affirmative: "I do not think that you are right" - instead of "I think that you are not right". At the same time similar use of a litote is an indicator of implicitly expressed disagreement. Expressions "are one second an example of the return hyperbole!", "boy about a finger" or "knee-high to a grasshopper". At N. Nekrasov: And striding important, in tranquility ceremonious, conducts the Horse under uzets muzhichokv big boots, in a short fur coat sheepskin, In big mittens … and itself about a nail! Use of litotes is widespread both in colloquial, and in artistic, poetic speech.