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metaphor
[ met-uh-fawr, -fer ]
noun
- a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance, as in “A mighty fortress is our God.” Compare mixed metaphor, simile ( def 1 ).
metaphor
/ -ˌfɔː; ˌmɛtəˈfɒrɪk; ˈmɛtəfə /
noun
- a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action that it does not literally denote in order to imply a resemblance, for example he is a lion in battle Compare simile
metaphor
- The comparison of one thing to another without the use of like or as : “A man is but a weak reed”; “The road was a ribbon of moonlight.” Metaphors are common in literature and expansive speech. ( Compare simile .)
Derived Forms
- metaphoric, adjective
- ˌٲˈǰ, adverb
- ˌٲˈǰԱ, noun
Other 51Թs From
- ··ǰ·· [met-, uh, -, fawr, -i-k, uh, l, -, for, -], ··ǰ· adjective
51Թ History and Origins
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of metaphor1
Compare Meanings
How does metaphor compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Sure, her need to exhibit dominance and feel the titillating power of submission could be read as metaphors for an attempt to both gain control over her body and accept that it is shutting down.
The break seemed like a reasonable metaphor for our fractured times: The cable had snapped during an oceanic landslide precipitated by huge floods in the Congo River.
The decisive putt, which involved a number of dramatic breaks, could be seen as a metaphor for an opening season that was far from straightforward.
But obviously the metaphor of the detox is that, on the other side, you have broken your addiction to something.
Hawken argues that the typical metaphors are not only inaccurate — how exactly do you battle an element? — but also provide fuel for right-wing narratives that carbon has been unfairly demonized.
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