Figures of Speech

A comparison using "like" or "as".

"Her smile was as bright as the morning sun."

A direct comparison saying one thing is another.

"Time is a thief that steals our youth."

Giving human qualities to something that is not human.

"The wind whispered through the trees."

Using weather or nature to reflect human feelings.

"Grey clouds gathered as she read the bad news."

A compound expression used in place of a simple noun, common in Old English poetry.

""Whale-road" for the sea; "bone-house" for the body."

An indirect reference to a well-known person, place, story or event.

"He is no Einstein when it comes to maths."

Deliberate exaggeration for emphasis or humour.

"I have told you a million times!"

Deliberately making something seem smaller or less important than it is.

"Winning the lottery was quite a nice surprise."

Understatement using a negative to express a positive.

"She is not a bad singer (meaning she is very good)."

Two contradictory words placed side by side.

"There was a deafening silence in the room."

A statement that seems self-contradictory but reveals a truth.

"Less is more."

Saying the opposite of what you mean, or an outcome opposite to what is expected.

""Lovely weather," he said, as the rain poured down."

Repetition of the same consonant sound at the start of nearby words.

"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."

Repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words.

"The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain."

Repetition of consonant sounds, especially at the ends of words.

"Pitter-patter of the rain on the window."

A word that imitates the sound it describes.

"The bacon sizzled and the kettle hissed."

Referring to something by a closely associated thing.

"The Crown has approved the bill (the monarchy)."

Using a part to represent the whole, or the whole for a part.

"All hands on deck! (hands = sailors)"

A mild or indirect word used in place of a harsh one.

"He passed away last winter."

Using more words than necessary, a roundabout expression.

""The fair sex" instead of "women"."

An adjective applied to a noun it does not logically describe (hypallage).

"He spent a sleepless night (the person was sleepless, not the night)."

Playing on a word's multiple meanings or similar sounds for humour.

"I used to be a baker, but I could not make enough dough."

One word applied to two others in different senses.

"She lost her keys and her temper."

Directly addressing an absent person, an object or an idea.

"O Death, where is thy sting?"