A metaphor is a combination of vocabulary items we use to express a particular feeling or encourage imagination.

  • her sunny smile
  • have a big head
  • to purr with delight
  • a sun-drenched beach
  • to pull strings

Words Used Metaphorically

Here are some examples of words being used metaphorically:

  • I hope this will have cushioned your loss.
  • Seeing him on stage fired my enthusiasm.
  • She just froze when she saw her ex-boyfriend.
  • He's always trumpeting his own successes.

Compound Adjectives and Nouns as Metaphors

Some compounds are always metaphorical - they have a meaning that each part of the compound doesn't have. A bloodbath is never 'a bath full of blood'; the compound has only the meaning of 'a massacre'.


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