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Metaphor 1
Metaphor 1
implied metaphor is a type of metaphor that compares two unlike things without mentioning one
of them. For example, "Elise finally lured Adam into her web." In this line, we know what Elise is
being compared to a spider, but it isn't expressly stated.
When looking at examples of implied metaphors, you'll see they're slightly different from regular
metaphors because they don't specifically state what they're comparing.
For example, "My Dad is my rock," expressly compares a father to a rock, something solid and
sturdy. This is quite different from, "Harry crumbled under the pressure," where it's implied the man
couldn't cope with pressure, by comparing him to something that easily falls apart like a cake, a soft
cheese, or even a rock tumbling down the hill. This one is open to interpretation, leaving you to make
the connection.
Implied metaphors allow writers to create vivid imagery in their prose. Sometimes, the
comparison is an easy leap to make, painting a clear picture.
Other times, the implied comparison takes a moment's pause. Some implied metaphors leave
themselves entirely open to debate since, in truth, they're never expressly stated by the author.
troduction
These famous lines by Thomas and Stevens are examples of what classical theorists, at
least since Aristotle, have referred to as metaphor: instances of novel poetic language in
which words like mother, go, and night are not used in their normal everyday senses. In
classical theories of language, metaphor was seen as a matter of language not thought.
ordinary everyday language: everyday language had no metaphor, and metaphor used
mechanisms outside the realm of everyday conventional language. The classical theory
was taken so much for granted over the centuries that many people didn’t realize that it
was just a theory. The theory was not merely taken to be true, but came to be taken as
definitional. The word metaphor was defined as a novel or poetic linguistic expression
where one or more words for a concept are used outside of its normal conventional
meaning to express a similar concept. But such issues are not matters for definitions; they
are empirical questions. As a cognitive scientist and a linguist, one asks: What are the
metaphors? When this question is answered rigorously, the classical theory turns out to be
false. The generalizations governing poetic metaphorical expressions are not in language,
but in thought: They are general map pings across conceptual domains. Moreover, these
general princi ples which take the form of conceptual mappings, apply not just to novel
poetic expressions, but to much of ordinary everyday language. In short, the locus of
metaphor is not in language at all, but in the way we conceptualize one mental domain in
terms of another. The general theory of metaphor is given by characterizing such crossdomain
mappings. And in the process, everyday abstract concepts like time, states,
change, causation, and pur pose also turn out to be metaphorical. The result is that
language semantics, and that the study of literary metaphor is an extension of the study of
cross-domain mappings, and this system is made use of in novel metaphor. Because of
these empirical results, the word metaphor has come to be used differently in
contemporary metaphor research. The word metaphor has come to mean a cross-domain
mapping in the conceptual system. The term metaphorical expression refers to a linguistic
expression (a word, phrase, or sentence) that is the surface realization of such a crossdomain
mapping (this is what the word metaphor referred to in the old theory). I will
adopt the contemporary usage throughout this chapter. Experimental results
demonstrating the cognitive reali ty of the extensive system of metaphorical mappings are
discussed by Gibbs (this volume). Mark Turner’s 1987 book, Death is the mother of
beauty, whose title comes from Stevens’ great line, demonstrates in detail how that line
uses the ordinary system of everyday mappings. For further examples of how literary
metaphor makes use of the ordinary metaphor system, see More Than Cool Reason: A
Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor, by Lakoff and Turner (1989) and Reading Minds: The
Study of English in the Age of Cognitive Science, by Turner (1991). Since the everyday
metaphor system is central to the understanding of poetic metaphor, we will begin with
Homage To Reddy
The contemporary theory that metaphor is primarily conceptual, conventional, and part of
the ordinary system of thought and language can be traced to Michael Reddy’s (this
volume) now classic paper, The Conduit Metaphor, which first appeared in the first
edition of this collection. Reddy did far more in that paper than he modestly suggested.
domain, that ordinary everyday English is largely metaphorical, dispelling once and for
all the traditional view that metaphor is primarily in the realm of poetic or figurative
language. Reddy showed, for a single very significant case, that the locus of metaphor is
thought, not language, that metaphor is a major and indispensable part of our ordinary,
conventional way of conceptualizing the world, and that our everyday behavior reflects
our metaphorical understanding of experience. Though other theorists had noticed some
linguis tics and cognitive science has developed to study systems of metaphorical thought
that we use to reason, that we base our actions on, and that underlie a great deal of the
structure of language. The bulk of the chapters in this book were written before the
contradict much that appears in the others, many of which make certain assumptions that
were widely taken for granted in 1977. A major assumption that is challenged by
contemporary research is the traditional division between literal and figurative language,
with metaphor as a kind of figurative language. This entails, by definition, that: What is
literal is not metaphorical. In fact, the word literal has traditionally been used with one or
• All definitions given in the lexicon of a language are literal, not metaphorical.
• The concepts used in the grammar of a language are all literal; none are
metaphorical.
The big difference between the contemporary theory and views of metaphor prior to
Reddy’s work lies in this set of assumptions. The reason for the difference is that, in the
intervening years, a huge system of everyday, convention al, conceptual metaphors has
system, including most abstract concepts, and that lies behind much of everyday
language. The discovery of this enormous metaphor system has destroyed the traditional
literal-figurative distinction, since the term literal, as used in defining the traditional
distinction, carries with it all those false assumptions. A major difference between the
contemporary theory and the classical one is based on the old literal-figurative distinction.
Given that distinction, one might think that one arrives at a metaphorical interpretation of
a sentence by starting with the literal meaning and applying some algorithmic process to
it (see Searle, this volume). Though there do exist cases where something like this
happens, this is not in general how metaphor works, as we shall see shortly.
proved to be false, one can make a different sort of literal-metaphorical distinction: those
concepts that are not comprehended via conceptual metaphor might be called literal.
Thus, while I will argue that a great many common concepts like causation and purpose
Thus, a sentence like The balloon went up is not metaphorical, nor is the old philosopher’s
favorite The cat is on the mat. But as soon as one gets away from concrete physical
research. They will mostly come from the domain of everyday conventional metaphor,
since that has been the main focus of the research. I will turn to the discussion of poetic
metaphor only after I have discussed the conventional system, since knowledge of the
conventional system is needed to make sense of most of the poetic cases. The evidence
related meanings.
1989).
We will primarily be discussing the first three of these sources of evidence, since they are
Conceptual Metaphor
Imagine a love relationship described as follows: Our relationship has hit a dead-end
street.
Here love is being conceptualized as a journey, with the implication that the relationship
is stalled, that the lovers cannot keep going the way they’ve been going, that they must
turn back, or abandon the relationship altogether. This is not an isolated case. English has
many everyday expressions that are based on a conceptualization of love as a journey, and
they are used not just for talking about love, but for reasoning about it as well. Some are
necessarily about love; others can be understood that way: Look how far we’ve come. It’s
been a long, bumpy road. We can’t turn back now. We’re at a crossroads. We may have to
go our separate ways. The relationship isn’t going anywhere. We’re spinning our wheels.
Our relationship is off the track. The marriage is on the rocks. We may have to bail out of
this relationship. These are ordinary, everyday English expressions. They are not poetic,
nor are they necessarily used for special rhetorical effect. Those like Look how far we’ve
come, which aren’t necessarily about love, can readily be understood as being about love.
As a linguist and a cognitive scientist, I ask two commonplace questions:
• Is there a general principle governing how our patterns of inference about journeys
are used to reason about love when expressions such as these are used?
The answer to both is yes. Indeed, there is a single general principle that answers both
questions. But it is a general principle that is neither part of the grammar of English, nor
the English lexicon. Rather, it is part of the conceptual system underlying English: It is a
principle for under standing the domain of love in terms of the domain of journeys. The
principle can be stated informally as a metaphorical scenario: The lovers are travelers on a
journey together, with their common life goals seen as destinations to be reached. The
relationship is their vehicle, and it allows them to pursue those common goals together.
The relationship is seen as fulfilling its purpose as long as it allows them to make progress
toward their common goals. The journey isn’t easy. There are impediments, and there are
places (crossroads) where a decision has to be made about which direction to go in and
whether to keep traveling together. The metaphor involves understanding one domain of
technically, the metaphor can be understood as a mapping (in the mathematical sense)
from a source domain (in this case, journeys) to a target domain (in this case, love). The
entities in the domain of love (e.g., the lovers, their common goals, their difficulties, the
(the travelers, the vehicle, des tinations, etc.). To make it easier to remember what
mappings there are in the conceptual system, Johnson and I (lakoff and Johnson, 1980)
adopted a strategy for naming such mappings, using mnemonics which suggest the
mapping. Mnemonic names typically (though not always) have the form: TARGETDOMAIN IS
It is a common mistake to confuse the name of the mapping, LOVE IS A JOURNEY, for
the mapping itself. The mapping is the set of correspondences. Thus, whenever I refer to a
misunderstanding can arise. Names of mappings commonly have a propositional form, for
example, LOVE IS A JOURNEY. But the mappings themselves are not propositions. If
mappings are confused with names for mappings, one might mistakenly think that, in this
theory, metaphors are propositional. They are, of course, anything but that: metaphors are
mapping knowledge about journeys onto knowledge about love. Such correspondences
permit us to reason about love using the knowledge we use to reason about journeys. Let
us take an example. Consider the expression, We’re stuck, said by one lover to another
about their relationship. How is this expression about travel to be understood as being
about their relationship? We’re stuck can be used of travel, and when it is, it evokes
knowledge about travel. The exact knowledge may vary from person to person, but here is
a typical example of the kind of knowledge evoked. The capitalized expressions represent
entities n the ontology of travel, that is, in the source domain of the LOVE IS A JOURNEY
stuck, that is, makes it nonfunctional. If they do nothing, they will not REACH THEIR
• They can try to get it moving again, either by fixing it or get ting it past the
THEIR DESTINATIONS.
• The alternative of remaining in the nonfunctional VEHICLE takes the least effort,
The ontological correspondences that constitute the LOVE IS A JOURNEY metaphor map
the ontology of travel onto the ontology of love. In doing so, they map this scenario about
travel onto a corresponding love scenario in which the corresponding alternatives for
action are seen. Here is the corresponding love scenario that results from applying the
correspondences to this knowledge structure. The target domain entities that are mapped
they do nothing, they will not be able to ACHIEVE THEIR LIFE GOALS. There are a
• They can try to get it moving again, either by fixing it or getting it past the
DIFFICULTY.
The alternative of remaining in the nonfunctional RELATIONSHIP takes the least effort,
but does not satisfy the desire to ACHIEVE LIFE GOALS. This is an example of an
inference pattern that is mapped from one domain to another. It is via such mappings that
expression. It is the ontological mapping across conceptual domains, from the source
domain of journeys to the target domain of love. The metaphor is not just a matter of
language, but of thought and reason. The language is secondary. The mapping is primary,
in that it sanctions the use of source domain language and inference patterns for target
domain concepts. The mapping is conventional, that is, it is a fixed part of our conceptual
system, one of our conventional ways of conceptualizing love relationships. This view of
metaphor is thoroughly at odds with the view that metaphors are just linguistic
would constitute one metaphor. "We can’t turn back now" would constitute another,
entirely different metaphor. "Their marriage is on the rocks" would involve still a
different metaphor. And so on for dozens of examples. Yet we don’t seem to have dozens
journey. The mapping tells us precisely how love is being conceptualized as a journey.
And this unified way of conceptualizing love metaphorically is realized in many different
linguistic expressions. It should be noted that contemporary metaphor theorists commonly
use the term metaphor to refer to the conceptual mapping, and the term metaphorical
sanctioned by a mapping. We have adopted this terminology for the following reason:
expressions. It is important to keep them distinct. Since it is the mappings that are primary
and that state the generalizations that are our principal concern, we have reserved the term
metaphor for the mappings, rather than for the linguistic expressions. In the literature of
the field, small capitals like LOVE IS A JOURNEY are used as mnemonics to name
mappings. Thus, when we refer to the LOVE IS A JOURNEY metaphor, we are refering to
the set of correspondences discussed above. The English sentence Love is a journey, on
the other hand, is a metaphorical expression that is understood via that set of
correspondences.
Generalizations
po·ly·se·my
/päˈlisəmē/
noun
LINGUISTICS
expressions, e.g., dead-end street, crossroads, stuck, spinning one’s wheels, not
conceptual domains.
That is, the existence of the mapping provides a general answer to two questions: -Why
are words for travel used to describe love relationships? -Why are inference patterns used
to reason about travel also used to reason about love relationships. Correspondingly, from
the perspective of the linguistic analyst, the existence of such cross-domain pairings of
words and of inference patterns provides evidence for the existence of such mappings.
explains why new and imaginative uses of the mapping can be understood instantly, given
the ontological correspondences and other knowledge about journeys. Take the song lyric,
We’re driving in the fast lane on the freeway of love. The traveling knowledge called upon
is this: When you drive in the fast lane, you go a long way in a short time and it can be
exciting and dangerous. The general metaphorical mapping maps this knowledge about
driving into knowledge about love relationships. The danger may be to the vehicle (the
relationship may not last) or the passengers (the lovers may be hurt, emotionally). The
because those metaphorical correspondences are already part of our conceptual system.
The LOVE-AS-JOURNEY metaphor and Reddy’s Conduit Metaphor were the two
examples that first convinced me that metaphor was not a figure of speech, but a mode of
convinced me were the three characteristics of metaphor that I have just discussed: The
and behavior based on that reasoning. The possibility for understanding novel extensions
Motivation
Each conventional metaphor, that is, each mapping, is a fixed pattern of conceptual
correspondences across conceptual domains. As such, each mapping defines an openended class
mapping may apply to a novel source domain knowledge structure and characterize a
processes, or as algorithms that mechanically take source domain inputs and produce
target domain outputs. Each mapping should be seen instead as a fixed pattern of
onotological correspondences across domains that may, or may not, be applied to a source
domain knowledge structure or a source domain lexical item. Thus, lexical items that are
conventional in the source domain are not always conventional in the target domain.
Instead, each source domain lexical item may or may not make use of the static mapping
pattern. If it does, it has an extended lexicalized sense in the target domain, where that
sense is characterized by the mapping. If not, the source domain lexical item will not have
a conventional sense in the target domain, but may still be actively mapped in the case of
novel metaphor. Thus, the words freeway and fast lane are not conventionally used of
love, but the knowledge structures associated with them are mapped by the LOVE IS A
JOURNEY metaphor in the case of We’re driving in the fast lane on the freeway of love.
Imageable Idioms
Many of the metaphorical expressions discussed in the literature on conventional
metaphor are idioms. On classical views, idioms have arbitrary meanings. But within
cognitive linguistics, the possibility exists that they are not arbitrary, but rather motivated.
That is, they do arise automatically by productive rules, but they fit one or more patterns
present in the conceptual system. Let us look a little more closely at idioms. An idiom like
spinning one’s wheels comes with a conventional mental image, that of the wheels of a car
stuck in some substance-either in mud, sand, snow, or on ice, so that the car cannot move
when the motor is engaged and the wheels turn. Part of our knowledge about that image is
that a lot of energy is being used up (in spinning the wheels) without any progress being
made, that the situation will not readily change of its own accord, that it will take a lot of
effort on the part of the occupants to get the vehicle moving again --and that may not even
be possible. The love-as-journey metaphor applies to this knowledge about the image. It
maps this knowledge onto knowledge about love relationships: A lot of energy is being
spent without any progress toward fulfilling common goals, the situation will not change
of its own accord, it will take a lot of effort on the part of the lovers to make more
progress, and so on. In short, when idioms that have associated conventional images, it is
from the source to the target domain. For a survey of experiments verifying the existence
of such images and such mappings, see Gibbs 1990 and this volume.
vehicle is a superordinate category that includes such basic-level categories as car, train,
boat, and plane. Indeed, the examples of vehicles are typically drawn from this range of
basic level categories: car ( long bumpy road, spinning our wheels), train (off the track),
boat (on the rocks, foundering), plane (just taking off, bailing out). This is not an accident:
in general, we have found that mappings are at the superordinate rather than the basic
level. Thus, we do not find fully general submappings like A LOVE RELATIONSHIP IS A
CAR; when we find a love relationship conceptualized as a car, we also tend to find it
not the basic level category CAR that is in the general mapping. It should be no surprise
that the generalization is at the superordinate level, while the special cases are at the basic
level. After all, the basic level is the level of rich mental images and rich knowledge
structure. (For a discussion of the properties of basic-level categories, see Lakoff, 1987,
pp. 31-50.) A mapping at the superordinate level maximizes the possibilities for mapping
rich conceptual structure in the source domain onto the target domain, since it permits
many basic-level instances, each of which is information rich. Thus, a prediction is made
about conventional mappings: the categories mapped will tend to be at the superordinate
rather than basic level. Thus, one tends not to find mappings like A LOVE
find both basic-level cases (e.g., both cars and boats), which indicates that the
generalization is one level higher, at the superordinate level of the vehicle. In the
hundreds of cases of conventional mappings studied so far, this prediction has been borne
HIGHLIGHTS
WhatsApp has rolled dark mode for all users across the globe.
The dark mode will be atomatically applied on Android 10 and iOS 13.
You need to update WhatsApp on your phone first.
WhatsApp has finally rolled out dark mode on its Android and iOS apps globally after a long delay.
The first instances of dark mode were spotted several months back, only getting granular updates
over time. But WhatsApp took quite a long time to implement dark mode, leading to huge
anticipation among users. The dark mode on WhatsApp will be automatically applied if you have
enabled dark theme on your Android 10 or iOS 13 device. It can also be manually enabled by diving
into the settings.
In a post on its blog, WhatsApp wrote: "Dark mode for WhatsApp offers a fresh look on a familiar
experience. It’s designed to reduce eye strain in low light environments. And we hope it helps
prevent those awkward moments where your phone lights up the room." WhatsApp’s dark mode is
available as a part of the latest update on both Android and iOS via Google Play Store and App
Store, respectively.
The dark mode comes in different shades for Android and iOS - it is purely dark on iOS 13 while
Android 10 has a dark grey shade. Facebook’s WhatsApp has noted that it spent quite some time in
researching and experimenting by directing its focus on two major areas for dark mode readability
and information hierarchy. The first one essentially ensures the contents are readable by matching the
theme of the app with system defaults on both Android and iOS. Second area is mostly about
different elements in the app that have their distinguished colours to make information stand out.
If you have Android 10 or iOS 13 on your smartphone, dark mode will be automatically applied as
per system settings. This means if you have set the dark theme on your device, WhatsApp will
respect that and apply dark mode automatically.
Glassblowing process
shady
Any place that's protected from the glare and
heat of the sun is shady, as in a "shady nook."
But as its darkened nature implies, shady has the
equally popular meaning of "suspicious,
dangerous, or deceitful." A "shady character" is
up to no good.
The metaphorical meaning of shady has long been embraced by
slang. Since at least the 1950's, the phrase "got it made in
the shade" means having a great and easy life or
job (picture eastern sultans being shaded by
servants holding giant leaves). The rap sultan
Eminem calls his evil alter-ego "Slim Shady,"
conjuring up a devilish suggestion of the Prince of
Darkness himself — someone who definitely lives
in a shady neighborhood.
it means the person (whom it was directed to) is acting strange and/or suspicious.
Start learning this word
Definition of shady
1: producing or affording shade
2: sheltered from the sun's rays
3a: of questionable merit : UNCERTAIN, UNRELIABLE
b: DISREPUTABLE
Recent Examples on the WebIn the case of Stone, Robert Mueller had a
particular interest in the gadfly as a possible instrument of collusion
with the Russians and, though that obviously didn’t pan out, threw the
book at him for his dishonesty and shady maneuverings.— The
Editors, National Review, "Bill Barr Is Right about Trump’s Tweets," 14 Feb. 2020So far, his
season of The Bachelor has been marked by shady tweets, Real
Housewives-esque cat fights, and a general sense of malaise from the
viewers watching at home.
gad·fly
/ˈɡadˌflī/
noun
pan out
phrasal verb of pan
1. turn out well.
"Harold's idea had been a good one even if it hadn't panned out"
Similar:
succeed
be successful
work
turn out well
work out
do the trick
o end up; conclude.
"he's happy with the way the deal panned out"
Similar:
turn out
work out
conclude
end (up)
result
come out
PHRASAL VERB
[informal]
None of Morgan's proposed financings panned out. [VERB PARTICL
ASSESSMENT: 100 POINTS
Add to List... Thesaurus Share It
Definitions of shady
1
adjfilled with shade
shadowed, shadowy, umbrageous
shaded
adjnot as expected
questionable
Dn’t break a bird’s wings and then tell it to fly. Don’t break a heart and tell it to love. Don’t break
a soul and then tell it to be happy. Don’t see the worst in a person and expect them to see the
best in you. Don’t judge people and expect them to stand them by your side. Don’t play with fire
Life is about giving and taking. You cannot expect to give bad and receive good. You cannot
Truth is like surgery, it hurts but cures. Lie is like a pain, it gives instant relief but has side
effects forever.
Any man can treat a lady for one night. But it takes a great man to treat her right for the rest of
her life.
Stop letting people who do so little control so much of your mind, feelings and emotions.
Health is not just about what you are eating. It’s also about what you are thinking and saying.
Sometimes life closes the door because it’s time to move forward And that’s a good thing
They are always on the search for more, seeming never content and always conquering new
challenges.
prim·i·tive
/ˈprimədiv/
Pelajari pengucapannya
adjective
1. 1.
relating to, denoting, or preserving the character of an early stage in the evolutionary or
historical development of something.
"primitive mammals"
Sinonim:
Antonim:
2. 2.
having a quality or style that offers an extremely basic level of comfort, convenience, or
efficiency.
"the accommodations at the camp were a bit primitive"
Sinonim:
Some people thrive under pressure, some others crack and crumble
me·ni·al
/ˈmēnēəl/
adjective
Sinonim:
moth·er·fuck·er
1. 1.
a despicable or very unpleasant person or thing.
2. 2.
a person or thing of a specified kind, especially one that is formidable, remarkable, or
impressive in some way.
"that cover photo proves he is one talented motherfucker"
Never push a loyal person to the point where they no longer care.
One positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.
No matter how many positive trials come your way; remember God is with us every step of
every day.
Don’t blame people for disappointing you…blame yourself for expecting too much from them.
The secret of living well and longer is eat half, walk double, laugh triple and love without
measure.
Keep walking through the storm your rainbow is waiting on the other side.
Single parents don’t have it easy they find a way to make it work, even when they don’t know
how. It’s the love for their child that pushes them through, every single time.
measure
( measures plural & 3rd person present) ( measuring present participle) ( measured past tense &
past participle )
1 verb If
you measure the quality, value, or effect of something, you discover or judge how great it
is.
I continued to measure his progress against the charts in the doctor's office... V n prep
It was difficult to measure the precise impact of the labor action. V n
2 verb If
you measure a quantity that can be expressed in numbers, such as the length of
something, you discover it using a particular instrument or device, for example a ruler.
Measure the length and width of the gap... V n
3 verb If something measures a particular length, width, or amount, that is its size or intensity,
expressed in numbers.
no cont (=be)
The house is more than twenty metres long and measures six metres in width... V amount
4 n-sing A measure of a particular quality, feeling, or activity is a fairly large amount of it.
FORMAL N of n
The colonies were claiming a larger measure of self-government.
5 n-sing Ifyou say that one aspect of a situation is ameasure of that situation, you mean that it
shows that the situation is very serious or has developed to a very great extent.
N of n/wh
That is a measure of how bad things have become at the bank.
8 n-count In music, a measure is one of the several short parts of the same length into which a
piece of music is divided.
(AM)
in BRIT, use bar
9
→ measured
→ measuring
→ counter-measure
→ half measure
→ tape measure
10 If you say that something has changed or that it has affected you beyond measure, you are
emphasizing that it has done this to a great extent.
♦ beyond measure phrase PHR after v (emphasis) Mankind's knowledge of the universe has
increased beyond measure...
11 If you say that something is done for good measure, you mean that it is done in addition to a
number of other things.
♦ for good measure phrase PHR after v, PHR with cl
I repeated my question for good measure...
12 If you get or take the measure of someone or something, you discover what they are like, so that
you are able to control them or deal with them. If you have the measure of someone or something,
you have succeeded in doing this.
♦ get/take/have the measure of sb/sthg phrase V inflects, PHR n
The governments of the industrialized world had failed to get the measure of the crisis..., Lili was the
only person I knew who had the measure of her brother.
13 If something is true in some measure or in large measure, it is partly or mostly true.
FORMAL
♦ in large/some measure phrase PHR with cl
Mid-term break
How covid-19 is interrupting children’s
education
Almost a billion children have seen their schools close
International
TREVISO
CHILDREN USUALLY rejoice in a break from school, assuming it will be a chance to slack off.
Not Ryu, a nine-year-old in Tokyo. As the new coronavirus spread across Japan, schools
throughout the country closed on March 2nd. His parents have enforced a strict schedule every
day. It includes Japanese, science and physical education. He does mathematics on his abacus
every morning. On weekdays he is allowed to play in a park for 90 minutes. “I wish I could take
him to the park more, but we have limited time as we work from home,” frets his mother,
Fujimaki Natsuko.
Ryu is one of almost 1bn students around the world whose schooling has been interrupted as a
result of covid-19 (see map). As The Economist went to press, just over 100 countries including
China, Italy and South Korea had closed their schools, as had 43 states in America, as part of
efforts to contain covid-19. Britain will close all schools on March 20th. Schools, where sticky-
fingered children gather every day, sharing toys and sucking on pencils, are an obvious place for
diseases to flourish. In 2013 Britain’s Health Protection Agency looked at flu outbreaks that
coincided with school closures. It found that shutting them slowed the transmission of the virus,
even if it also slowed the transmission of knowledge.
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International
OF THE SUPPOSED five stages of grief, humanity’s response to the covid-19 pandemic has
seemed stuck in the first three: denial (it will not happen to us), anger (it’s another country’s
fault, or our government’s) and bargaining (if we make modest changes to our ways of life, it
will leave us alone). Monday March 16th may have been the day when the last vestiges of these
coping strategies evaporated. Much of the world moved on to the next stage, depression—the
heart-sinking realisation that billions of lives will be seriously disrupted for weeks and probably
months; that, before it is over, many people will die; and that the economic implications are
beyond dire. (For more coverage of covid-19 see our coronavirus hub.)
As stockmarkets in America experienced one of the worst days in their history, in many
countries the incremental stepping up of relatively modest measures against the virus gave way
to Draconian restrictions on travel and on daily life. This seemed to resolve a debate between
advocates of two very different approaches.
Some Western governments, notably America’s and Britain’s, had adopted much milder
measures. Britain’s apparently calculated that, since the worst was still to come, there was no
point in sowing panic and resentment among its people by imposing restrictions that were still
premature. Both countries were slow to institute widespread testing to get a better sense of how
many people were already infected. “Relax, we’re doing great,” President Donald Trump told
Americans on March 15th. In contrast, three days earlier, Boris Johnson, Britain’s prime
minister, had called the pandemic “the worst public-health crisis for a generation” but his
government’s response did not involve closing schools, as many countries had done, nor banning
mass gatherings.
Other countries had already instituted harsher measures, and seemed to have had some success.
The central Chinese province of Hubei, home to 60m people, had in effect been in quarantine for
nearly two months. South Korea had tested hundreds of thousands of people and enabled people
to check whether they might have had contact with the infected on a website showing their
movements. European countries had begun also to shut down, starting with Italy, site of the
continent’s worst outbreak.
In recent days, China has started easing restrictions and is cautiously hailing at least a partial
victory over the virus. But that may be premature, as a second wave of infections re-imported
from abroad remains possible. Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan have this week seen renewed
infections after apparently suppressing the virus’s spread.
After March 16th, the differences between countries seem less stark. Mr Johnson told people to
work from home if they can, not to hold big gatherings, to steer clear of pubs and restaurants and
to quarantine their whole households for 14 days if one member shows symptoms of infection
(schools remained open for the time being). The change in approach was justified by saying, “It
looks as though we’re now approaching the fast growth part of the upward curve”, and, in other
briefings, by alarm at new data showing the extent of the crisis in Italy. Britain is also
discouraging non-essential travel, but has not banned it. The same day in America, Mr Trump
issued tighter new guidelines, including that people should avoid gatherings of ten or more
people. In France, President Emmanuel Macron declared “we are at war” with the virus.
Meanwhile, the number of countries closing their borders to arrivals from countries with
infections has grown to over 80, including America, Australia, Canada, Japan, Russia. They also
include members of the European Union and of the Schengen free-travel zone, which approved a
30-day closure of their external borders.
A joint statement on March 16th from leaders of the G7 seemed to herald a new phase of
welcome international co-operation after a period when squabbling seemed more noticeable than
co-ordination. It promised “a strongly co-ordinated international approach, based on science and
evidence.” But even that appeared to want to make a political point, adding that the approach
should be “consistent with our democratic values and utilising the strengths of private
enterprise”, as if to add: “Are you listening, China?”
In fact, the boasts of international solidarity and a shared approach are hollow. Countries are still
pursuing divergent strategies, and in some cases banning exports of medical supplies. They seem
to be competing to show that their method stands the best chance of success. Not long after Mr
Johnson announced Britain’s latest measures, for example, Mr Macron unveiled France’s much
more sweeping approach. From March 17th nobody is to leave their home except to shop for
essentials, attend medical appointments, or do jobs that cannot be done at home. Schools,
universities, cafés, cinemas, hairdressers and museums had already closed.
The world’s two most powerful countries, America and China, are meanwhile indulging in a
blame game. Also on March 16th Mr Trump irritated China’s leaders by referring to “the
Chinese virus”. China’s foreign-ministry spokesman urged America to stop the “despicable
practice” of stigmatising China. But Chinese officials have also been guilty, with one lending his
name to a bizarre online conspiracy theory that the virus was made by the American army and
brought into China. Tensions between the two countries worsened on March 17th when China
announced it was expelling reporters from the New York Times, Washington Post and Wall
Street Journal. It described the move as “reciprocal”—a response to Mr Trump’s decision last
month to cap the numbers in America of journalists working for five state-controlled Chinese
news outlets.
If international co-operation on the battle against the virus is going badly, then at least central
banks and other monetary authorities are working in cahoots to contain the economic fall-out.
The move by America’s Federal Reserve to cut interest rates to close to zero in an emergency
intervention on March 15th is in lockstep with the decisions of many other central banks. The
record-setting crash on the American stockmarkets the following day was a reflection of how
little impact investors and traders think monetary policy can have on the recession—or even
depression—that may be looming.
More important are central banks’ efforts to keep credit flowing before companies and the banks
they owe money to seize up. On March 17th the Fed announced that, as during the financial
crisis of 2008-09, it will start buying up companies’ short-term debt (“commercial paper”). But
in the end, the banks and companies are probably going to need their governments’ help—either
to spend directly to keep businesses open, or to provide guarantees to the banks.
Most big economies have announced—or are about to unveil—big spending packages to support
the economy. Also on March 17th Britain’s finance minister, Rishi Sunak, promised £330bn
($400bn) in lending, grants and guarantees to keep businesses going through the virus-induced
slump. France has promised €45bn ($50bn) to help businesses. Mr Trump’s administration wants
Congress to approve $1trn in extra spending.
The plight of financial institutions is not yet nearly as bad as it was during the global financial
crisis. But the disagreements over how to handle covid-19 and how to attribute blame for its
spread do not augur well for future co-operation to stop financial systems sinking to those lows.
And, in the meantime, every antiviral and economic measure governments introduce seems to
serve partly to heighten the sense that policymakers are floundering against an adversary they
still do not understand; and hence to worsen the mounting panic.
Should other countries copy Italy’s nationwide
lockdown?
The government’s response to covid-19 is unprecedented in modern-day Europe
Giovambattista presti, a psychologist at the Kore University of Enna in Sicily, is an adviser to the
Policlinico, Milan’s oldest hospital, which is at the centre of Italy’s covid-19 epidemic. Of great
concern now, says Mr Presti, is staff burnout. He is particularly worried about post-traumatic
stress disorder among some medics. If hospitals reach the point at which they no longer have the
capacity to treat every patient, some of them “will be forced to decide who should go into
intensive care and who should be left to die”.
Similar accounts are emerging elsewhere. Daniele Macchini is a doctor at the Humanitas
Gavazzeni hospital in nearby Bergamo. It has been overwhelmed by covid-19 patients. “Cases
are multiplying. We are getting 15-20 admissions a day,” he wrote on Facebook. “The results of
the swabs come in one after another: positive, positive, positive. All of a sudden, accident and
emergency is collapsing.” Nurses, he added, have been reduced to tears “because we cannot save
everyone”.
the connection.
Implied metaphors allow writers to create vivid imagery in their prose. Sometimes, the comparison is
an easy leap to make, painting a clear picture.
Other times, the implied comparison takes a moment's pause. Some implied
metaphors leave
themselves entirely open to debate since, in truth, they're never expressly
stated by the author.
Examples of Personification
6th grade7th grade8th grade9th gradeMiddle SchoolHigh SchoolCollege
1. The stars danced playfully in the moonlit sky. 26. While making my way to my car, it appeared to
smile at me mischievously.
2. The run-down house appeared depressed. 27. The car, painted lime green, raced by
screaming for attention.
3. The first rays of morning tiptoed through the 28. The butterflies in the meadow seemed to two-
meadow. step with one another.
4. She did not realize that opportunity was knocking at 29. The waffle jumped up out of the toaster.
her door.
5. He did not realize that his last chance was walking 30.The popcorn leapt out of the bowl.
out the door.
6. The bees played hide and seek with the flowers as 31. When the DVD went on sale, it flew off the
they buzzed from one to another. shelves.
7. The wind howled its mighty objection. 32. I tripped because the curb jumped out in front
of me.
8. The snow swaddled the earth like a mother would 33. Time creeps up on you.
her infant child.
9. The river swallowed the earth as the water 34. The news took me by surprise.
continued to rise higher and higher.
10. Time flew and before we knew it, it was time for 35. The fire ran wild.
me to go home.
11. The ocean waves lashed out at the boat and the 36. The thunder clapped angrily in the distance.
storm continued to brew.
12. My computer throws a fit every time I try to use it. 37. The tornado ran through town without a care.
13. The thunder grumbled like an old man. 38. The door protested as it opened slowly.
14. The flowers waltzed in the gentle breeze. 39. The evil tree was lurking in the shadows.
15. Her life passed her by. 40. The tree branch moaned as I swung from it.
16. The sun glared down at me from the sky. 41. Time marches to the beat of its own drum.
17. The moon winked at me through the clouds above. 42. The storm attacked the town with great rage.
18. The wind sang through the meadow. 43. My life came screeching to a halt.
19. The car was suffering and was in need of some 44. The baseball screamed all the way into the
TLC. outfield.
20. At precisely 6:30 am my alarm clock sprang to life. 45. The blizzard swallowed the town.
21. The window panes were talking as the wind blew 46. The tsunami raced towards the coastline.
through them.
22. The ocean danced in the moonlight. 47. The avalanche devoured everything in its path.
23. The words appeared to leap off of the paper as she 48. The pistol glared at me from its holster.
read the story.
24. The phone awakened with a mighty ring. 49. The car beckoned me from across the
showroom.
25. The funeral raced by me in a blur. 50. I could hear Hawaii calling my name.
Did you identify the personification in the examples above? The human trait assigned to the subject
is in bold here. The subject being personified is underlined.
4. She did not realize that opportunity was 29. The waffle jumped up out of the toaster.
knocking at her door.
5. He did not realize that his last chance was 30. The popcorn leapt out of the bowl.
walking out the door.
6. The bees played hide and seek with the 31. When the DVD went on sale, it flew off the
flowers as they buzzed from one to another. shelves.
11. The ocean waves lashed out at the boat and 36. The thunder clapped angrily in the distance.
the storm continued to brew.
14. The flowers waltzed in the gentle breeze. 39. The evil tree was lurking in the shadows.
15. Her life passed her by. 40. The tree branch moaned as I swung from it.
16. The sun glared down at me from the sky. 41. Time marches to the beat of its own drum.
17. The moon winked at me through the clouds 42. The storm attacked the town with great rage.
above.
19. The car was suffering and was in need of 44. The baseball screamed all the way into the
some TLC. outfield.
21. The window panes were talking as the wind 46. The tsunami raced towards the coastline.
blew through them.
23. The words leapt off of the paper as she read 48. The pistol glared at me from its holster.
the story.
Examples of Hyperbole
7th grade8th grade9th gradeMiddle SchoolHigh SchoolCollege
Hyperbole, from a Greek word meaning "excess," is a figure of speech that uses
extreme exaggeration to make a point or show emphasis. It is the opposite of understatement.
You can find examples of hyperbole in literature and everyday speech. You wouldn't want to use it
in nonfiction works, like reports or research papers, but it's perfect for creative writing and
communication, especially when you want to add color to a character or humor to a story.
The word onomatopoeia comes from the combination of two Greek words, onoma meaning "name"
and poiein meaning "to make," so onomatopoeia literally means "to make a name (or sound)." That is
to say that the word means nothing more than the sound it makes. The word boing, for example, is
simply a sound effect, but one that is very useful in making writing or storytelling more expressive
and vivid.
Many onomatopoeic words can be verbs as well as nouns. Slap, for instance, is not only the sound
that is made by skin hitting skin but also the action of hitting someone (usually on the face) with an
open hand. Rustle is the sound of something dry, like paper, brushing together, but it can also
indicate the action of someone moving papers around and causing them to brush together, thus
making this noise.
The concept of onomatopoeia can be difficult to understand without examples. Examples give you
the chance to see and sound out actual words. Below are five categories of onomatopoeic words with
several examples of each. The list includes words with letter combinations that are commonly used to
represent certain sounds.
Common Onomatopoeia Words & Letter
Combinations
Many times, you can tell what an onomatopoeic word is describing based on letter combinations
contained within the word. These combinations usually come at the beginning, but a few also come
at the end.
The following examples have been grouped according to how they are used.
1. Water sounds - Words related to water or other liquids often begin with sp- or dr-. Words that
indicate a small amount of liquid often end in -le (sprinkle/drizzle).
bloop
splash
spray
sprinkle
squirt
dribble
drip
drizzle
A poem by Australian poet Lee Emmett illustrates many onomatopoeia words related to water:
"water plops into pond
splish-splash downhill
warbling magpies in tree
trilling, melodic thrill
whoosh, passing breeze
flags flutter and flap
frog croaks, bird whistles
babbling bubbles from tap"
2. Vocal sounds - Sounds that come from the back of the throat tend to start with a gr- sound,
whereas sounds that come out of the mouth, through the lips, tongue and teeth, often begin with mu-.
giggle
growl
grunt
gurgle
mumble
murmur
bawl
belch
chatter
blurt
3. Collision sounds - Collisions can occur between two or more objects. Sounds that begin with cl-
usually indicate collisions between metal or glass objects, and words that end in -ng are sounds that
resonate. Words that begin with th- usually describe dull sounds like soft but heavy things hitting
wood or earth.
bam
bang
clang
clank
clap
clatter
click
clink
ding
jingle
screech
slap
thud
thump
4. Air sounds - Air doesn't really make a sound unless it blows through something, so these words
describe the sounds of air blowing through things or of things rushing through the air. Words related
to air often start with wh-, include a w, or end with -sh.
"Whisper" is on this list and not the voice list because we do not use our voices to whisper. We only
use the air from our lungs and the position of our teeth, lips and tongues to form audible words.
flutter
fisst
fwoosh
gasp
swish
swoosh
waft
whiff
whoosh
whizz
whip
whisper
5. Animal sounds - Words related to animal noises often have long vowel sounds, such as "oo" or
"ay." If you've spent time in other countries, you may know that animals speak different
languages too. Depending on where a chicken is from, for example, she might cluck-cluck, bok-bok,
tok-tok, kot-kot or cotcotcodet. We'll stick with English here:
arf
baa
bark
bray
buzz
cheep
chirp
chortle
cluck
cock-a-doodle-doo
cuckoo
hiss
meow
moo
neigh
oink
purr
quack
ribbit
tweet
warble
Onomatopoeia in Action
Onomatopoeia is a fun, linguistic tool used in literature, songs and advertisements. Now that you've
seen examples of the individual words consider the following examples of onomatopoeia words in
use:
"Chug, chug, chug. Puff, puff, puff. Ding-dong, ding-dong. The little train rumbled over the
tracks."
- "The Little Engine That Could," Watty Piper
"Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is." (slogan of Alka Seltzer, US)
"Onomatopoeia every time I see ya
My senses tell me hubba
And I just can't disagree.
I get a feeling in my heart that I can't describe. . .
It's sort of whack, whir, wheeze, whine
Sputter, splat, squirt, scrape
Clink, clank, clunk, clatter
Crash, bang, beep, buzz
Ring, rip, roar, retch
Twang, toot, tinkle, thud
Pop, plop, plunk, pow
Snort, snuck, sniff, smack
Screech, splash, squish, squeak
Jingle, rattle, squeal, boing
Honk, hoot, hack, belch."
- "Onomatopoeia," song by Todd Rundgren
Personification Examples
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Personification Examples
3. The books murmured their stories from her shelf.
Personification Examples
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Personification Examples
6. The sand stretched out its long limbs beside the water’s edge.
Personification Examples
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9. Cookies and cakes called to him from the display case: “eat us up!”
Personification Examples
10. Her silken dress whispered and sighed as she settled into the chair.
Personification Examples
Personification Examples
12. In the early morning light, time was patient with the new mother and her child.
Personification Examples
13. His voice filled up the house like an army of soldiers sent to attack.
Personification Examples
15. The car horn squealed to alert us that they’d finally arrived.
Personification Examples
1. “These are the lips of the lake, on which no beard grows. It licks its chops from
time to time.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Personification Examples
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Personification Examples
4. “When it comes, the landscape listens, / Shadows hold their breath,” – Emily
Dickinson
Personification Examples
5. “‘Ah, William, we’re weary of weather, / said the sunflowers, shining with dew. /
Our traveling habits have tired us. / Can you give us a room with a view?” –
William Blake
Personification Examples
6. “The woods are getting ready to sleep—they are not yet asleep but they are
disrobing and are having all sorts of little bed-time conferences and whisperings
and good-nights.” – L.M. Montgomery
Personification Examples
7. “Five-fingered ferns hung over the water and dropped spray from their fingertips.”
– John Steinbeck
Personification Examples
8. “Hadn’t she known that something good was going to happen to her that
morning–hadn’t she felt it in every touch of the sunshine, as its golden finger-tips
pressed her lids open and wound their way through her hair?” – Edith Wharton
Personification Examples
9. “Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like
thorn.” William Shakespeare
Personification Examples
10. “Pink is what red looks like when it kicks off its shoes and lets its hair down. Pink
is the boudoir color, the cherubic color, the color of Heaven’s gates. . . . Pink is
as laid back as beige, but while beige is dull and bland, pink is laid back with
attitude.” – Tom Robbins
Personification Examples
11. “The teapot sang as the water boiled, / The ice cubes cackled in their glass, / The
teacups chattered to one another, / While the chairs were passing gas.” Sharon
Hendricks
Personification Examples
12. “The glacier knocks in the cupboard, / The desert sighs in the bed, / And the
crack in the tea-cup opens / A lane to the land of the dead.” – W.H. Auden
Personification Examples
Personification Examples
14. “Even the dirt kept breathing a small breath.” – Theodore Roethke
Personification Examples
15. “The shattered water made a misty din. Great waves looked over others coming
in.” – Robert Frost
Examples of Hyperbole
In this example, the speaker doesn’t literally mean that there’s enough food in the cupboard to
feed the hundreds of people in the army. Instead, the speaker is using hyperbole to exaggerate the
amount of food that they have.
Hyperbole can also be used to make something sound much worse than it actually is. For
example: “This is the worst book in the world!” – the speaker doesn’t literally mean that the
book is the worst one ever written, but is using hyperbole to be dramatic and emphasize their
opinion.
Hyperbole is often used in poems and books because it helps to emphasize part of the story and
evoke a response from the reader. Hyperbole can help the writer to get their point across so that
you understand the emotion, seriousness or humor of the situation.
In this example, Macbeth is using hyperbole to say that not even an entire ocean could wash his
hands clean. Macbeth is using hyperbole to exaggerate the situation.
In her book ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, the author Harper Lee writes:
“A day was twenty-four hours long but seemed longer. There was no hurry, for there was
nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries
of Maycomb County.”
In this example, the author is using hyperbole to emphasize how slow and boring the town is.
The hyperbolic phrases in this sentence help the reader to understand the situation as, without
them, the sentence `. Have a go at re-writing Harper Lee’s sentence above without the hyperbole
and see how it sounds!
The following poem by Shel Silverstein, titled ‘Rain’, shows some great examples of hyperbole.
Can you identify them?
I opened my eyes
I can’t do a handstand–
I might overflow,
Hyperbole Worksheets
This bundle contains 5 ready-to-use hyperbole worksheets that are perfect to test student
knowledge and understanding of what hyperbole is and how it can be used. You can use
these hyperbole worksheets in the classroom with students, or with home schooled children as
well.
Underline Hyperbole
Definition of Hyperbole
Hyperbole, derived from a Greek word meaning “over-casting,” is a figure of speech that
involves an exaggeration of ideas for the sake of emphasis.
It is a device that we employ in our day-to-day speech. For instance, when you meet a friend
after a long time, you say, “It’s been ages since I last saw you.” You may not have met him for
three or four hours, or a day, but the use of the word “ages” exaggerates this statement to add
emphasis to your wait. Therefore, a hyperbole is an unreal exaggeration to emphasize the real
situation. Some other common Hyperbole examples are given below.
In American folk lore, Paul Bunyan’s stories are full of hyperboles. In one instance, he
exaggerates winter by saying:
“Well now, one winter it was so cold that all the geese flew backward and all the fish
moved south and even the snow turned blue. Late at night, it got so frigid that all
spoken words froze solid afore they could be heard. People had to wait until sunup to
find out what folks were talking about the night before.”
Freezing of the spoken words at night in winter, and then warming them up in the warmth of the
sun during the day are examples of hyperbole, which has been effectively used in this short
excerpt from an American folktale.
Macbeth, the tragic hero, feels the unbearable prick of his conscience after killing the king. He
regrets his sin, and believes that even the oceans of the greatest magnitude cannot wash the blood
of the king off his hands. We can see the effective use of hyperboles in the given lines.
Example #3: As I Walked One Evening (By W. H. Auden)
The use of hyperbole can be seen in the above lines in the meeting of China and Africa, the
jumping of the river over the mountain, the singing of salmon in the street, and the ocean being
folded and hung up to dry are exaggerations, not possible in real life.
“He cried all night, and dawn found him still there, though his tears had dried and
only hard, dry sobs shook his wooden frame. But these were so loud that they could
be heard by the faraway hills …”
The crying of Pinocchio all night until his tears became dry is an example of Hyperbole.
The act of waiting ten days seemed to last forever and never end.
The poet Robert Burns gives many examples of hyperbole in this piece. The poet says that he
would love his beloved until the seas are dried up, and the rocks are melted.
Function of Hyperbole
The above arguments make clear the use of hyperbole. In our daily conversation, we use
hyperbole to create an amusing effect, or to emphasize our meaning. However, in literature it has
very serious implications. By using hyperbole, a writer or a poet makes common human feelings
remarkable and intense to such an extent that they do not remain ordinary. In literature, usage of
hyperbole develops contrasts. When one thing is described with an over-statement, and the other
thing is presented normally, a striking contrast is developed. This technique is employed to catch
the reader’s attention.
Examples of SimilesFollowing are some more examples of similes regularly used
in writing:
You were as brave as a lion.
They fought like cats and dogs.
He is as funny as a barrel of monkeys.
This house is as clean as a whistle.
He is as strong as an ox.
Your explanation is as clear as mud.
Watching the show was like watching grass grow.
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Examples of Similes
6th grade7th grade8th grade9th gradeMiddle SchoolHigh SchoolCollegeInfographics
A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things in an interesting way. The object of
a simile is to spark an interesting connection in a reader's or listener's mind. A simile is one of
the most common forms of figurative language. Examples of similes can be found just about
anywhere from poems to song lyrics and even in everyday conversations.
Similes and metaphors are often confused with one another. The main difference between a simile
and metaphor is that a simile uses the words "like" or "as" to draw a comparison and a metaphor
simply states the comparison without using "like" or "as".
An example of a simile is: She is as innocent as an angel. An example of a metaphor is: She is an
angel. Do you see the difference? The simile makes a direct comparison, the metaphor's comparison
is implied but not stated.
Simile Examples
Simile Examples
A simile is a comparison between two different things using the word “like”
or “as” to make the comparison. Similes are generally easier to identify than
metaphors, but not always. Sometimes a speaker or writer may use the
word “like” or “as” and not make any comparison. These are not similes. For
example if I said, “I like pizza.” I am expressing a preference for pizza not
making a comparison.
By the time you finish working through these 100 examples of simile, you
should have the hang of it. I have attempted to separate these similes into
an “easy” and “hard” list. Here is the list of fifty easy similes:
1. “Food?” Chris inquired, popping out of his seat like a toaster strudel.
2. Grandpa lounged on the raft in the middle of the pool like an old battleship.
3. If seen from above the factory, the workers would have looked like clock
parts.
4. The truth was like a bad taste on his tongue.
5. The people who still lived in the town were stuck in place like wax statues.
6. Cassie talked to her son about girls as though she were giving him tax
advice.
7. Alan’s jokes were like flat soda to the children, surprisingly unpleasant.
8. My mother’s kitchen was like a holy place: you couldn’t wear your shoes, you
had to sit there at a certain time, and occasionally we’d pray.
9. The bottle rolled off the table like a teardrop.
10. The handshake felt like warm laundry.
11. She hung her head like a dying flower.
12. Arguing with her was like dueling with hand grenades.
13. The classroom was as quiet as a tongue-tied librarian in a hybrid car.
14. Janie’s boyfriend appreciated her as an ape might appreciate an
algebra book.
15. The clouds were like ice-cream castles in the sky.
16. The shingles on the shack shook in the storm winds like scared
children.
17. When he reached the top of the hill, he felt as strong as a steel gate.
18. When the tree branch broke, Millie fell from the limb like a robin’s egg.
19. She swam through the waters like she was falling through a warm
dream.
20. They children ran like ripples through water.
21. Mikhail scattered his pocket change in front of the beggars like crumbs
of bread.
22. Her hair was as soft as a spider web.
23. Each dollar bill was a like a magic wand to cast away problems.
24. The man held the blanket like a memory.
25. The ice sculptor’s hands fluttered like hummingbird wings.
26. I’m about as awesome as a flying giraffe.
27. You are soft as the nesting dove.
28. Andre charged down the football field like it was the War of 1812.
29. The stars looked like stupid little fish.
30. Her laughter was like a warm blanket or a familiar song.
31. The river flows like a stream of glass
32. Blood seeped out of the wound like red teardrops.
33. Paul carried his science project to school like he was transporting
explosive glass.
34. She looked at me like I was speaking in some strange alien tongue.
35. The town square was buzzing like a beehive.
36. Kelsey followed her dreams like most kids would follow a big sister.
37. Kyle looked at the test with a stare as blank as his notebook.
38. The robins are as thick today as flakes of snow were yesterday,
Yes, please.
Anchor Standards
Examples of Personification
Examples of Hyperbole
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Alliteration is a term to describe a literary device in which a series of words begin with the
same consonant sound. A classic example is:“She sells seashells by the sea-
shore.”Another fan-favorite is:“Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”Alliteration is
meant to be more than a tongue twister, though.
Alliteration Tongue Twisters. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A good cook could
cook as much cookies as a good cook who could cook cookies. Black bug bit a big black bear.
Sheep should sleep in a shed. I saw a saw that could out saw any other saw I ever saw.
Nature Metaphors
The snow is a white blanket.
He is a shining star.
Her long hair was a flowing golden river.
Tom's eyes were ice as he stared at her.
The children were flowers grown in concrete gardens.
Kisses are the flowers of affection.
The falling snowflakes are dancers.
The calm lake was a mirror.
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Look for the sound or rhythm patterns that almost always exist, especially in poetry, and if you ever
have a question about what an onomatopoeic word means, just ask yourself, 'What does it sound
like?'
This isn't an exhaustive list of onomatopoeic words, but it's a good start to understanding this literary
device.
For more examples, check out this onomatopoeia word list for kids. And find out more about other
types of figurative language
brighten,
buck up,
cheer (up),
lighten,
look up
rejoice
liven (up),
revive
beam,
glow,
radiate,
sparkle
encourage,
gladden,
hearten
despair,
despond
brood,
fret,
mope
darken,
sadden
2to move from a lower to a higher place or position
the dog tilts her head and perks up her ears whenever someone
speaks to her
ascend,
mount,
rise
rear,
upend
descend,
dip,
fall,
pitch,
plunge,
slip
bear,
depress,
press,
push
sink,
submerge
drop,
lower
"I think this is the most extraordinary collection of human talent, of human knowledge, that has ever
been gathered at the White House-with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined
alone."
-President John F. Kennedy, White House dinner honoring Nobel Prize winners
Hyperbole in Songs
hyperbole can help paint a vivid
Similar to a well-delivered speech,
Hyperbole in Advertising
If used properly, hyperbole can encourage consumers to buy products.
There has been limited research into this area, but according to a 2007 study by Mark A. Callister
PhD & Lesa A. Stern PhD, "The Role of Visual Hyperbole in Advertising Effectiveness" found that
"hyperbolic ads produce more ad liking than nonhyperbolic ads."
Examples of hyperboles in advertising include:
Adds amazing luster for infinite, mirror-like shine (Brilliant Brunette shampoo)
It doesn't get better than this. (Oscar Meyer)
The best a man can get (Gillette)
Mints so strong they come in a metal box (Altoids)
po·ly·se·my
/päˈlisəmē/
Learn to pronounce
noun
LINGUISTICS
1. the coexistence of many possible meanings for a word or phrase
Polysemy
Description
Polysemy is the capacity for a word or phrase to have multiple meanings, usually related by
contiguity of meaning within a semantic field. Polysemy is thus distinct from homonymy—or
homophony—which is an accidental similarity between two words;
con·ti·gu·i·ty
/ˌkän(t)əˈɡyo͞oədē/
Synonyms & Antonyms of contiguity
adjacency,
closeness,
immediacy,
nearness,
propinquity,
proximity,
vicinity.
Learn to pronounce
noun
1. the state of bordering or being in direct contact with something.
"nations bound together by geographical contiguity"
o PSYCHOLOGY
the sequential occurrence or proximity of stimulus and response, causing their
association in the mind.
English has many polysemous words. For example, the verb "to get" can mean "procure" (I'll
get the drinks), "become" (she got scared), "understand" (I get it) etc.
Polysemy
This means that they have more than one meaning. Some words, such
as run or set have more than thirty different meanings.
*In this case, primary refers to the sense of the word that the student has learned first.
For example, ESL students generally first learn the word table as referring to an item of
furniture.
So they might be confused when the mathematics teacher tells them to put their data in
a table.
Indeed, mathematics is full of words that ESL students are likely to have learned first with
their everyday meaning: mean, power, even, volume, root, etc.
Mr. Stiggins, with several most indubitable symptoms of having quite as much pine-apple rum-and-water
about him as he could comfortably accommodate, took his hat, and his leave.
Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, Chapter XXVII
He carried a strobe light and the responsibility for the lives of his men.
Tim O'Brien, The Things They Carried
You are free to execute your laws, and your citizens, as you see fit.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
All the citations above are examples of a literary device called zeugma. Their effect lies in the fact that a
single verb is applied to two objects, one of which is appropriate, the other not. It can be defined as:
a figure of speech in which a word applies to two others in different senses (e.g., John and
his license expired last week) or to two others of which it semantically suits only one
(e.g., with weeping eyes and hearts).
Google
There are four verbs above which operate like this in these examples (take, carry, execute and grow) and
they all exhibit polysemy: they have more than one meaning in English. If it weren't for polysemy, zeugma
creation would not be possible.
Zeugma is sometimes referred to as syllepsis but on this site the latter term is reserved for concord problems
in which one element can only agree with some of another element in a sentence as in, for example:
John and Mary will each bring his / her / their favourite dessert
in which it is unclear what possessive determiner should be applied.
Phonetics. a
word pronounced the same as another but differing in meaning,
whether spelled the same way or not, as heir and air; a homophone(def 1).
a word that is both a homophone and a homograph, that is, exactly the same
as another in sound and spelling but different in meaning, as chase “to
pursue” and chase “to ornament metal.”
(loosely) a word of the same written form as another but of different meaning
and usually origin, whether pronounced the same way or not, as bear “to
carry; support” and bear “animal” or lead “to conduct” and lead “metal;”
a homograph.
Obsolete. a namesake.
Biology. aname given to a species or genus that has already been assigned to
a different species or genus and that is therefore rejected.
QUIZZES
A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same (to varying extent) as another word but differs
in meaning. A homophone may also differ in spelling. The two words may be spelled the same,
such as rose (flower) and rose (past tense of "rise"), or differently, such as carat, and carrot, or to,
two, and too.
What is a Metonymy?
The pen is mightier than the sword.
Although literally a pen has no power over a sword, we understand this phrase
means that the written word and the sharing of ideas, are more powerful than
fighting, or physical force.
What is metonymy?
Metonymy is a figure of speech in which a thing or concept is not called by its
own name, but by the name of something intimately associated with that thing or
concept.
Examples:
Here are some examples of metonymy:
Metonymy Definition
What is metonymy? Here’s a quick and simple definition:
Metonymy Pronunciation
Synecdoche
Metaphor
Metalepsis
trope
/trōp/
a word or expression used in a figurative sense : FIGURE OF SPEECH
e
noun
a figurative or metaphorical use of a word or expression.
"he used the two-Americas trope to explain how a nation free and democratic at home
could act wantonly abroad"
o
verb
create a trope.
Updated July 19, 2018
Here are some examples of the 'part of an expression for the whole expression'
metonymy in American English:
Danish for Danish pastry
shocks for shock absorbers
wallets for wallet-sized photos
Ridgemont High for Ridgemont High School
the States for the United States
Involves identifying the ham sandwich with the thing he or she ate and setting up
a domain in which the ham sandwich refers to the person.
This domain is separate from the 'real' world, in which the phrase 'ham sandwich
refers to a ham sandwich. The distinction between the real world and the
metonymic world can be seen in the sentence:
The waitress spoke to the complaining ham sandwich and then she took it away.
This sentence does not make sense; it uses the phrase 'ham sandwich' to refer
both to the person (in the metonymic world) and a ham sandwich (in the real
world)."(Arthur B. Markman, Knowledge Representation. Lawrence Erlbaum, 1999)
Going to Bed
"The following trivial metonymic [utterance] may serve as an illustration of an
idealized cognitive model:
This metonymic target forms part of an idealized script in our culture: when I
want to sleep, I first go to bed before I lie down and fall asleep.
As way of example, the saying that 'The hand that rocks the cradle rules the
world' illustrates the difference between metonymy and synecdoche.
Synecdoche Definition
Synecdoche is a literary device in which a part of something represents the
whole, or it may use a whole to represent a part. Synecdoche may also use
larger groups to refer to smaller groups, or vice versa. It may also call a thing
by the name of the material it is made of, or it may refer to a thing in a
container or packaging by the name of that container or packing.
“The hand” in these lines refers to the sculptor, who carved the “lifeless
things” into a grand statue.
Example #4: The Secret Sharer (By Joseph Conrad)
“At midnight I went on deck, and to my mate’s great surprise put the ship
round on the other tack. His terrible whiskers flitted round me in silent
criticism.”
The word “whiskers” mentioned in the above lines refers to the whole face of
the narrator’s mate.
In the above lines, the phrase “broomy stumps” refers to the whole broom.
“His eye met hers as she sat there paler and whiter than anyone in the vast
ocean of anxious faces about her.”
Function of Synecdoche
Literary symbolism is developed by the writers who employ synecdoche in
their literary works. By using synecdoche, writers give otherwise common
ideas and objects deeper meanings, and thus draw readers’ attention.
Like any other literary device, synecdoche when used appropriately adds a
distinct color to words, making them appear vivid. To insert this “life” factor to
literary works, writers describe simple ordinary things creatively with the aid of
this literary device.
I. What is Synecdoche?
When the captain of a ship calls, “All hands on deck!” certainly no hands can be
seen running across the ship. Rather, the speaker is using synecdoche: allowing
a part (hands) to represent the whole (a crew member in the ship)
Example 2
The Department of Education announced new plans for the education reform.
In this example, the Department of Education as a whole cannot literally make
such an announcement. Rather, an individual or set of individuals puts together
the announcement. This is an example of macrocosmic synecdoche, as a whole
speaks for a part.
Example 1
Consider these excerpts from S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”
poem:
Example 2
Consider these excerpts from Faulkner’s short story “A Rose for Emily”:
When Miss Emily Grierson died, our whole town went to her funeral.
When the next generation, with its more modern ideas, became mayors and aldermen, this
arrangement created some little dissatisfaction.
Faulkner’s story is characterized by a town full of gossipers, and frequently
the narrator speaks in terms of “we.” This macrocosmic use of synecdoche
serves to highlight the unity and simplicity of a town or generation’s psyche.
V. Examples of Synecdoche in Pop Culture
Synecdoche is a common element in pop culture that speaks for generations in
macrocosmic synecdoche and significant parts of people or places in
microcosmic synecdoche.
Example 1
“Where are the Arms” by Gabriel Kahane
Studio 360: Gabriel Kahane performs "Where are the Arms"
Example 2
“Our Song” by Taylor Swift
In this example, a love song and a romantic relationship are expressed in
instances:
VI. Related Terms
Contents
o
o Villain
o Voice
o Wit
o Wordplay
o Zeugma
Allusion Examples
Allusion is when an author references something external to his or
her work in a passing manner. For example, an author may reference a
musical artist or song, a great thinker or philosopher, the author or title of a
different text, or a major historical event. Allusions are a type of poetic
device. Another form of the word allusion is allude. To allude is to refer to
something without explaining it, to hint at it.
Allusions can be problematic. Since they are not explained, allusions depend
on the reader knowing whatever external thing to which the author is
alluding. For example, T. S. Eliot wrote a poem called “The Waste Land,”
which is widely considered by scholars and academics to be one of the most
important poems of the 20th century. Yet, “The Waste Land” is so densely
packed with allusions that most casual readers find it to be impenetrable.
That is to say, most readers don’t get it. This is the risk that writers take
when using allusions. Allusions are a type of poetic device that depend
on the reader possessing background knowledge on a thing that is
not further explained. You should use them with caution for this reason.
Still confused? Let’s go over an example before I launch into the list:
First, imagine a friend has bought a very nice motorcycle. Both metonymy and
synecdoche can be used to give a compliment:
Metonymy:
Nice ride, man.
This compliment is considered metonymy because one rides a motorcycle. The
idea of riding is associated with motorcycles, but it is not part of a motorcycle.
Synecdoche:
Nice rims, man.
Although this compliment is only one word away from the example of
metonymy, it is different. Rims are a part of motorcycle which stand for the
whole.
VII. In Closing
Synecdoche both simplifies collections of parts by using the whole and
emphasizes certain aspects of the whole by using its most important parts. It
can be used for simplification and brevity or poeticism and elaboration.
For example:
The word "sails" is often used to refer to a whole ship.
The phrase "hired hands" can be used to refer to workers.
The word "head" can refer to counting cattle or people.
The word "bread" can be used to represent food in general or money (e.g. he is
the breadwinner; music is my bread and butter).
Semantic Metonymy
"An oft-cited example of metonymy is the noun tongue, which designates not
only a human organ but also a human capacity in which the organ plays a
conspicuous part.
Another noted example is the change of orange from the name of a fruit to the
color of that fruit. Since orange refers to all instances of the color, this change
also includes generalization. A third example(Bolinger, 1971)is the verb want,
which once meant 'lack' and changed to the contiguous sense of 'desire.' In these
examples, both senses still survive.
Pronunciation: me-TON-uh-me
Also Known As: denominatio, misnamer, transmutation
fool·proof
/
adjective
1. incapable of going wrong or being misused.
"a foolproof security system"
Similar:
infallible
never failing
,unfailing, unerring, dependable, reliable
/
OXYMORON
noun
1. a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction
(e.g. faith unfaithful kept him falsely true ).
An oxymoron is a figure of speech containing words that seem to contradict each other. It's often
referred to as a contradiction in terms.
As with other rhetorical devices, oxymorons are used for a variety of purposes.
Sometimes they're used to create a little bit of drama for the reader; sometimes
they're used to make a person stop and think, whether that's to laugh or to wonder.
A common oxymoron is the phrase "the same difference." This phrase qualifies as
an oxymoron because the words "same" and "difference" have opposite meanings. Bringing them
together into one phrase produces a verbally puzzling, yet engaging, effect.
Common Oxymorons
It's likely you've used, or at least heard, a couple oxymorons in your everyday life, even if you didn't
realize it at the time. Let's see if any of these examples of oxymorons hit home for you:
Act naturally
Alone together
Amazingly awful
Bittersweet
Clearly confused
Dark light
Deafening silence
Definitely maybe
Farewell reception
Growing smaller
Jumbo shrimp
Only choice
Open secret
Original copy
Painfully beautiful
Passive aggressive
Random order
Small crowd
Sweet sorrow
True myth
Walking dead
Weirdly normal
Purpose of Oxymorons
Why use phrases that don't seem to make logical sense? Well, there are a few good reasons why,
starting with dramatic effect.
Dramatic Effect
Saying that a picture or a scene is "painfully beautiful" calls attention to the speaker and the object of
inquiry. Such a phrase shows that an object can have two different qualities at once, making it a
subject for study and analysis.
For Entertainment
Sometimes people aren't trying to make a profound statement when they use oxymorons. Instead,
they want to be witty and show they can use words to make people laugh. One example of this is
when Oscar Wilde comically reflected on the fact that he "can resist anything, except temptation."
Who Said "Good Fences Make Good Neighbors"?
Pointedly Foolish
So you can see that oxymorons add humor or drama to speech or writing, allowing you to make a
funny or pointed remark.
A pointed remark, question, or manner is intended as a criticism of the person it is
directed to: My aunt made a few pointed remarks about my taste in clothes.
As well as playing with oxymorons, Oscar Wilde was also a master of symbolism. He enjoyed
writing things that weren't meant to be taken literally, simply pondered upon.
When you're ready to graduate from oxymorons to symbolism, enjoy these examples of symbolism
in literature. May they inspire you through all your writing adventures.
Examples of Paradox
5th grade6th grade7th grade8th grade9th grade10th grade11th grade12th gradeMiddle SchoolHigh SchoolCollege
A paradox is a statement that may seem contradictory but can be true (or at least make sense). This
makes them stand out and play an important role in literature and everyday life. Beyond that, they
can simply be entertaining brain teasers.
Take the statement "Less is more." This statement uses two opposites to contradict one another. How
can less be more? The concept is that something less complicated is often more appreciated. Let's
talk a little bit more about this rhetorical device and enjoy a handful of examples of paradox.
General Paradoxes
Ready to flex your mental muscles? Some of these statements may make you pause and think. Here
are some thought-provoking paradox examples:
Save money by spending it.
If I know one thing, it's that I know nothing.
This is the beginning of the end.
Deep down, you're really shallow.
I'm a compulsive liar.
"Men work together whether they work together or apart." - Robert Frost
"What a pity that youth must be wasted on the young." - George Bernard Shaw
"I can resist anything but temptation." - Oscar Wilde
A paradox can be thought-provoking but they're also fun to consider. Here are some paradoxes with a
witty bent:
Here are the rules: Ignore all rules.
The second sentence is false. The first sentence is true.
I only message those who do not message.
Paradoxes in Literature
Let's continue to some larger examples of paradox that appear in works of literature. Examining their
purpose will become an important part of the process.
Common Examples of Litotes
He's not the friendliest person.
It wasn't a terrible trip.
She's not unkind.
They aren't unhappy with the presentation.
Not too shabby!
The two concepts are not unlike each other.
She's no spring chicken.
It's not exactly a walk in the park.
Definition of Litotes
Litotes is a figure of speech and a form of understatement in which a sentiment is expressed
ironically by negating its contrary. For example, saying "It's not the best weather today" during a
hurricane would be an example of litotes, implying through ironic understatement that the
weather is, in fact, horrible
For example, using the expression “not too bad” for “very good” is an
understatement, as well as a double negative statement that confirms a
positive idea by negating the opposite (meaning it’s good, by saying
it’s not bad). Similarly, saying “She is not a beauty queen,” means she is ugly,
or saying “I am not as young as I used to be,” in order to avoid saying I am
old. Litotes, therefore, is an intentional use of understatement that renders an
ironic effect.
Now just see how Swift has used double negatives to emphasize the point
that he is totally aware of it. The irony is that he is aware, but he is saying it as
if he is unaware that he is not.
If you read this short piece by Robert Frost very carefully, you’ll see that
calling the destruction caused by ice “great” is balanced by an opposing
statement “would suffice,” is an understatement.
“Indeed, it is not uncommon for slaves even to fall out and quarrel among
themselves about the relative goodness of their masters, each contending for
the superior goodness of his own over that of the others.”
Function of Litotes
Litotes uses ironic understatement in order to emphasize an idea or situation,
rather than minimizing its importance. It rather discovers a unique way to
attract people’s attention to an idea, and that is by ignoring it.
“I want to claim that the rhetorical figure litotes is one of those methods which
are used to talk about an object in a discreet way. It clearly locates an object
for the recipient, but it avoids naming it directly.”
This is the best that has ever been said about litotes – that to ignore an object
and still talk about it in a negative way is the best way to make it appear
important and prominent.
A Purposeful Paradox
Paradoxes have important implications in the world of literature. They take aim at the overall theme.
Take George Orwell, for example. Animal Farm was all about class distinctions and inequalities.
With one paradoxical line, he highlighted what was true for him. To make sure your next paradox
aligns with the theme of your story, take a look at these Examples of Theme in Literature. Senafas
dengan
Examples of Oxymorons
5th grade6th grade7th grade8th grade9th grade10th grade11th grade12th gradeElementary School Middle SchoolHigh
SchoolCollege
An oxymoron is a figure of speech containing words that seem to contradict each other. It's often
referred to as a contradiction in terms. As with other rhetorical devices, oxymorons are used for a
variety of purposes. Sometimes they're used to create a little bit of drama for the reader; sometimes
they're used to make a person stop and think, whether that's to laugh or to wonder.
A common oxymoron is the phrase "the same difference." This phrase qualifies as
an oxymoron because the words "same" and "difference" have opposite meanings. Bringing them
together into one phrase produces a verbally puzzling, yet engaging, effect.
Common Oxymorons
It's likely you've used, or at least heard, a couple oxymorons in your everyday life, even if you didn't
realize it at the time. Let's see if any of these examples of oxymorons hit home for you:
Act naturally
Alone together
Amazingly awful
Bittersweet
Clearly confused
Dark light
Deafening silence
Definitely maybe
Farewell reception
Growing smaller
Jumbo shrimp
Only choice
Open secret
Original copy
Painfully beautiful
Passive aggressive
Random order
Small crowd
Sweet sorrow
True myth
Walking dead
Weirdly normal
Purpose of Oxymorons
Why use phrases that don't seem to make logical sense? Well, there are a few good reasons why,
starting with dramatic effect.
Dramatic Effect
Saying that a picture or a scene is "painfully beautiful" calls attention to the speaker and the object of
inquiry. Such a phrase shows that an object can have two different qualities at once, making it a
subject for study and analysis.
For Entertainment
Sometimes people aren't trying to make a profound statement when they use oxymorons. Instead,
they want to be witty and show they can use words to make people laugh. One example of this is
when Oscar Wilde comically reflected on the fact that he "can resist anything, except temptation."
A Good Question
We may never know who first uttered this phrase but Robert Frost's poem "Mending Wall," started
up a whole new conversation regarding this proverb in the early 20th century. In the poem, two
neighbors walk the length of their dividing wall each spring to mend whatever has fallen off. The
speaker does not understand the purpose of the fence; however, his neighbor says, "Good fences
make good neighbors," twice. The speaker has no alternative but to continue this ritual with his
neighbor each year, despite his own belief that mending the wall is a waste of time.
So, what do you say? Do fences communicate the same nonverbal signal as a pair of crossed arms?
Or, do fences provide a healthy boundary between friends and neighbors, defining a well-balanced
relationship? Let's thank Robert Frost for continually pushing our intellects to higher levels and think
twice the next time we observe a fence.
hand·y
/ˈhandē/
Learn to pronounce
adjective
1. 1.
convenient to handle or use; useful.
"a handy desktop encyclopedia"
Similar:
useful
convenient
practical
easy-to-use
well designed
user-friendly
user-oriented
helpful
functional
serviceable
utilitarian
neat
nifty
Opposite:
inconvenient
2. 2.
close at hand.
"keep credit cards handy"
Similar:
readily available
available
at hand
to hand
near at hand
Follow
Life can be crazy. There’s always work coming in and piling up,
chores and errands to be run, people and relationships to take care
of, and deadlines to be met.
And if we are not careful enough, it’s easy to go into a frenzy, get
extremely busy, but end up achieving very little. Think about the
moments where you’ve seemed to be very busy, but surprisingly
unproductive at the end of the day. Therefore, it’s important to not
only slow down, but to take a pit stop to pause and reflect before
continuing with the journey ahead.
1. To take a break
Our lives and the pursuits of our dreams are a marathon, not a
sprint, and this means that it’s crucial that we pace ourselves
instead of charging ahead because this can lead to burnout very
easily.
I’ll always remember the story of two lumberjacks who went into
the woods. The first one went chopping down the trees for the
whole day straight while the second one did some sawing and
stopped during regular intervals. So the first guy instinctively
knew that his day’s yield will be greater since he actually spent
more time bringing down the trees.
Unfortunately, he was wrong. The second lumberjack came back
with more timber pieces because when he stopped his cutting, he
was taking the time to sharpen his tools.
So take the time to slow down, unwind and relax, and you will feel
more refreshed and recharged to take on the world later on!
I feel that this might be the most important reason for pausing and
reflecting.
When things get busy and crazy, it is easy for us to lose track of
where we are heading and even forget the reason why we are doing
what we are doing. For instance, if you’re rigorously learning a
new instrument and you begin to feel burdened by your music
lessons or the practice sessions, it helps to pause for a moment to
remind yourself why you’re doing this in the first place.
Have you been taking the time to pause and reflect lately?