Allusion

An allusion is an indirect reference to something that the reader is expected to be familiar with; like a verbal symbol, it carries more significance than it would without that shared experience between writer and reader. Allusion can make writing more concise and powerful, since the writer can convey, in one or two words, and idea that might take a paragraph or more to express.

For example: "Martin Luther King, Jr., alluded to the Gettysburg Address in starting his "I Have a Dream" speech by saying 'Five score years ago..."; his hearers were immediately reminded of Abraham Lincoln's "Four score and seven years ago", which opened the Gettysburg Address. King's allusion effectively called up parallels in two historic moments." --Wikipedia, "Allusion".

Another instance of allusion: "The experience was his Liberty Jail." This allusion would only be meaningful to those familiar with LDS history, and it would be more meaningful to believers. In two words, it conveys the idea of a dark time or a tribulation; but also a turning point, a crucible, a time of spiritual growth. To those familiar with the allusion, it may hold richer meaning than simply to say, "it was a hard time for him" or "it was a growing experience."