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figure of speech

fig·ure of speech
F f

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [fig-yer uhv, ov speech]
    • /ˈfɪg yər ʌv, ɒv spitʃ/
    • /ˈfɪɡə(r) əv spiːtʃ/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [fig-yer uhv, ov speech]
    • /ˈfɪg yər ʌv, ɒv spitʃ/

Definitions of figure of speech words

  • noun plural figure of speech any expressive use of language, as a metaphor, simile, personification, or antithesis, in which words are used in other than their literal sense, or in other than their ordinary locutions, in order to suggest a picture or image or for other special effect. Compare trope (def 1). 1
  • noun figure of speech idiom 1
  • countable noun figure of speech A figure of speech is an expression or word that is used with a metaphorical rather than a literal meaning. 0
  • noun figure of speech an expression of language, such as simile, metaphor, or personification, by which the usual or literal meaning of a word is not employed 0
  • noun figure of speech an expression, as a metaphor or simile, using words in a nonliteral sense or unusual manner to add vividness, beauty, etc. to what is said or written 0
  • noun figure of speech (Idiomatic) A word or phrase that departs from straightforward, literal language. 0
See all 6 definitions of figure of speech

Information block about the term

Origin of figure of speech

First appearance:

before 1815
One of the 39% newest English words
First recorded in 1815-25

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Figure of speech

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Full grammatical hierarchy of Figure of speech

figure of speech popularity

This term is known only to a narrow circle of people with rare knowledge. Only 2% of English native speakers know the meaning of this word.
According to our data most of word are more popular. This word is almost not used. It has a much more popular synonym.

figure of speech usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for figure of speech

noun figure of speech

  • allegory — An allegory is a story, poem, or painting in which the characters and events are symbols of something else. Allegories are often moral, religious, or political.
  • allusion — An allusion is an indirect reference to someone or something.
  • analogy — If you make or draw an analogy between two things, you show that they are similar in some way.
  • anticlimax — You can describe something as an anticlimax if it disappoints you because it happens after something that was very exciting, or because it is not as exciting as you expected.
  • antithesis — The antithesis of something is its exact opposite.
All 44 Synonyms of figure of speech

See also

Matching words

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