Figures of Speech
A figure of speech is a departure from the literal, direct method of saying a thing in order to make it more beautiful or more effective. Simile, metaphor, allegory, analogy, personification, and apostrophe are figures of imagery.
A simile is a comparison between two persons or things that are in most respects totally unlike. Like or as is used.
"The road was like a ribbon of moonlight."
A metaphor is an implied comparison. It may apply the name of one subject to another which is resembles.
"The road was a ribbon of moonlight."
Allegory is an extended comparison, as in The Pilgrim’s Progress and Faerie Queene.
An analogy compares one idea or situation with another by noting several points of similarity.
Personification gives human qualities to animals or to inanimate objects. It may also raise a thing to a higher plane of being–animal to human; inanimate object to animal; inanimate object to human.
"The Lion is King of the forest."
"Death won the race."
An apostrophe is a figure of imagery in which an inanimate object is addressed as if it had life and intelligence, or the dead as if alive and present, or the absent as if present.
"Roll on, thou deep and dark, blue Ocean, roll!"
"Milton! Thou shouldst be living at this hour."
Alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia, antithesis, climax, and parallelism are figure of arrangement.
Alliteration is the repetitition of a sound at the beginning of several successive words.
"Over the cobles he clattered and clashed. . . ."
"Soon he soothed her soul to pleasure."
Assonance is the repetition of the same vowel sound to give tone quality.
"From the molten-golden notes."
Onomatopoeia is the adaption of the sound of words to the sense or meaning conveyed by them.
"How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,
In the icy air of night!"
Antithesis represents a contrast between ideas.
"A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger."
Climax is the arrangement of words, phrases, and clauses in sentences or paragraphs so that each in turn rises in suspense or importance.
"A perfect woman, nobly planned,
To warn, to comfort, and command."
Parallelism is a continued comparison using the same form.
"And doubly dying, shall go down
To the vile dust from whence he sprung,
Unwept, unhonored, and unsung."
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Hyperbole, litotes, paradox, and irony are figures of contradiction.
Hyperbole is the use of exaggeration for humor or emphasis. The exaggeration may be deliberately used for the purpose of producing a startling or alarming effect.
"Ichabod’s arms dangled a mile out of his sleeves."
Litotes is a deliberate understatment.
"Picasso is not a bad painter."
Paradox is a statement that seems at first to be untrue and absurd, but that reveals itself as being true and important after it is considered.
"Stone walls do not a prison make."
"The child is father of the man."
Irony implies something markedly different, perhaps even the opposite, from what is actually said.
"For Brutus is an honorable man."
Synecdoche and metonymy are figures of association.
Synecdoche gives the name of a part when the whole is meant, or that of a whole when a part is meant.
"Give us this day our daily bread."
Metonymy is the use of one word for another that it suggests.
"The pen is the tongue of the mind."
An allusion is a brief reference without explanation to a well-know person, place or event. The chief sources of allusions are the Bible, classical literature, and mythology.
An aphorism is a pity statement, usually abstract and not necessarily witty.
"Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing
an exact man."
An ellipsis is the omission of words for the sake of economy.
"Man never is, but always to be blessed."
An epigram is a short pity statemtn, usually with a touch of wit.
"It’s no disgrace to be poor, but it might as well be."
Euphemism is an unoffending term used for an unpleasant one.
"After life’s fitful fever he sleeps well."
A proverb is an often quoted, concrete expression of popular wisdom, often related to character or conduct.
"Still waters run deep."
