metaphor
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Related to metaphor: simile
met·a·phor
(mĕt′ə-fôr′, -fər)n.
1. A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate another, thus making an implicit comparison, as in "a sea of troubles" or "All the world's a stage" (Shakespeare).
2. One thing conceived as representing another; a symbol: "Hollywood has always been an irresistible, prefabricated metaphor for the crass, the materialistic, the shallow, and the craven" (Neal Gabler).
[Middle English methaphor, from Old French metaphore, from Latin metaphora, from Greek, transference, metaphor, from metapherein, to transfer : meta-, meta- + pherein, to carry; see bher- in Indo-European roots.]
met′a·phor′ic (-fôr′ĭk), met′a·phor′i·cal adj.
met′a·phor′i·cal·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
metaphor
(ˈmɛtəfə; -ˌfɔː)n
(Literary & Literary Critical Terms) 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
[C16: from Latin, from Greek metaphora, from metapherein to transfer, from meta- + pherein to bear]
metaphoric, ˌmetaˈphorical adj
ˌmetaˈphorically adv
ˌmetaˈphoricalness n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
met•a•phor
(ˈmɛt əˌfɔr, -fər)n.
1. the application of a word or phrase to an object or concept it does not literally denote, suggesting comparison to that object or concept, as in "A mighty fortress is our God."
2. something used or regarded as being used to represent something else; symbol: the novel's use of the city as a metaphor for isolation.
[1525–35; < Latin < Greek metaphorá a transfer, n. derivative of metaphérein to transfer. See meta-, -phore]
met`a•phor′i•cal (-ˈfɔr ɪ kəl, -ˈfɒr-) met`a•phor′ic, adj.
met`a•phor′i•cal•ly, adv.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
metaphor
- trope - A figurative or metaphorical use of a word or phrase.
- ingrain, ingrained - Ingrain literally means "work into the grain" (originally, of fabric), and ingrained is metaphorically "deep-seated."
- farce - First meant forcemeat stuffing and came to be used metaphorically when a humorous play was "stuffed" in between two more serious acts of the main theatrical presentation—or for interludes of impromptu buffoonery in a dramatic presentation.
- relieve - Metaphorically, to "alleviate, lighten," from Latin relevare, "raise again."
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
metaphor
1. A comparison of one person or thing with another by saying that the first is the second, as in “He was a tiger in combat.”
2. Use of an object or action to represent another. Mixed metaphor is the joining together of unmatched metaphors with ridiculous results.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. |  metaphor - a figure of speech in which an expression is used to refer to something that it does not literally denote in order to suggest a similaritydead metaphor, frozen metaphor - a metaphor that has occurred so often that it has become a new meaning of the expression (e.g., `he is a snake' may once have been a metaphor but after years of use it has died and become a new sense of the word `snake') mixed metaphor - a combination of two or more metaphors that together produce a ridiculous effect synesthetic metaphor - a metaphor that exploits a similarity between experiences in different sense modalities |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
metaphor
noun figure of speech, image, symbol, analogy, emblem, conceit (literary), allegory, trope, figurative expression the writer's use of metaphor
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
إسْتِعارَه، مَجازمجاز
metafora
metafor
metafora
metafora
metafora
myndhvörf
ひゆ比喩
metafora
metafora
metafora
metafor
benzetmemecazmetafor
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
metaphor
[ˈmɛtəfɔːr] n → métaphore fa metaphor for sth → une métaphore pour qch
... to mix my metaphors ... → ... si j'ose cette métaphore ...
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
metaphor
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
metaphor
(ˈmetəfə) noun a form of expression (not using `like' or `as')in which a quality or characteristic is given to a person or thing by using a name, image, adjective etc normally used of something else which has similar qualities etc. `He's a tiger when he's angry' is an example of (a) metaphor.
ˌmetaˈphoric(al) (-ˈfo-) adjective of, like or using metaphors. metaphorical language.
ˌmetaˈphorically adverbKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.