A figure of speech is a word or a phrase used in non-literal sense to add certain effect to one’s writing. It may be an expression in which words are used figuratively, not in their normal literal meaning.
Mostly used figures of speech are under;
1. Simile
Simile is a figure of speech that compares two unlike objects without using words “like” or “as”.
OR
The word “smile” comes from the Latin “smile”- ‘like’ and means likeness. A simile is an expression of likeness between different objects or events. It consists in placing two different things side by side and comparing them with regard to some quality common to them.
For example:
- Errors like stars upon the surface flow.
- The younger brother is as good as gold.
- Her eyes sparkled like stars in the night sky.
- He was as brave as a lion in battle.
- The cake was as soft as a cloud.
2. Metaphor
Metaphor is a figure of speech that compare two unlike objects/things without using word “like” or “as”. It is a direct comparison.
OR
A metaphor is implied simile. The word “metaphor” comes from the Greek, ‘meta-over; ‘phero’-carry.
It means, literally, “a carrying over”; and by this figure of speech a word is transferred, or carried over, from the object to which it belongs to another in such a manner that a comparison is implied, thought not clearly stated. Thus a metaphor is a compressed, or implied simile without using word ‘like‘, ‘as‘ etc.
For example:
- The camel is the ship of the desert.
- He is the pillar of the state.
- She is moon.
- He is lion.
- Their eyes are lakes of blue water.
- His temper is a volcano.
- It is raining cats and dogs.
3. Personification
Personification is really a special kind of metaphor. It is a figure of speech in which inanimate object and abstract ideas or quality are spoken of, as if they were person or human being.
For example:
- Opportunity knock at the door but once.
- Death lays his icy hands on kings.
- The fire swallowed the building in matter of minutes.
- The ground thirsts for rain.
- My watch tells me the time.
- The wind whistled throughout the day.
In all these instance, life and intelligence have been imparted to lifeless object or abstract ideas.
4. Hyperbole
The word “hyperbole” (“Hyper”_beyond ; “Ballo“-throw) literally, “a throwing beyond”, means exaggeration.
This figure of speech consists in representing things as much greater or smaller than they really are, with the intention of producing a more striking effect than a plain statement can.
For example:
- My shoes are killing me.
- Your skin is softer than silk.
- I am so hungry, I can eat a horse.
- The toast junked out of the toaster.
- My backpack weighs a ton.
- I have told you hundred times.
5. Oxymoron
An oxymoron is the association or bringing together of two words or phrases having opposite meaning.
For example:
- James I was the wisest fool in Christendom.
- That time is past.
- And all its aching joys are now no more.
- And all its dizzy rapture.
- Honest thief.
- Open secret.
- Original copy.
6. Pun
When we use the same word in two or more senses in order to make the people laugh, we employ the figure of speech called pun.
For example:
- An ambassador is a gentleman who lies abroad for the good of his country.
- Here there is a pun on the word ‘lies’.
- I’m reading a book on anti-gravity—it’s impossible to put down.
- I wanted a camouflage shirt, but I couldn’t find one.
- I used to be a baker, but I couldn’t make enough dough.
7. Alliteration
Alliteration consists of the repetition of the letter’s syllable or the same sound at the beginning of two or more words in a line. In this way, language becomes musical.
OR
Alliteration is the poetic technique where a series of consonants sounds is used in a sentence.
For example:
- Safe and sound.
- The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew.
- peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
- She sells seashells by the seashore.
- The whispering winds wove through the willows.
8. Transferred Epithet
In this figure of speech an epithet or qualifying is something transferred from a person to an object or form one word to another.
For example:
- The ploughman homeward plods his weary way.
- He tossed from side to side on his sleepless.
- He spent a sleepless night thinking about his problems.
- They lived a happy life despite their struggles.
- The weary road stretched endlessly before them.
9. Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia, ‘onoma’ _ name; ‘poiea’ _ make, is the use of a word or word whose sound itself conveys the sense of the author.
For example:
- It cracked and growled and roared and howled like noises in a sound.
- The murmurous haunt of flies on summer eves.
- The bees buzzed around the blooming flowers.
- The leaves rustled softly in the wind.
- The thunder boomed across the night sky.
10. Epigram
A brief pointed saying Expressing antithetical ideas, or exciting surprise, is called epigram.
For example:
- The child is the father of the man,
- The lies on concealing art.
- I can resist everything except temptation. – Oscar Wilde
- The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. – Oscar Wilde
- What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. – Oscar Wilde
11. Metonymy
The word “metonymy “, Greek, ‘ meta‘ _ after; ‘onoma‘ _ a name, means literally, ” substitution of name“, and the figure consists in substituting the thing named for the thing meant. Like, gray hair may be used for an old man.
For example:
- The pen (author) is mightier than the sword (the soldier).
- must tumble down,
- and in the dust be equal made
- With the poor crooked scythe spade.
- The White House issued a statement.
- The suits walked into the meeting.
- The bottle is empty.
12. Synecdoche
This figure of speech is really a special form of metonymy. Its name ‘syn‘-with, ‘ekdoche‘-succession, means literally, “the understanding of one thing by another”.
In the figure there is the substitution of a part for the whole or vice versa or of an abstract noun for a concrete one or vice versa, of an individual for a class, or vice versa, or of the name of the material of which a thing is made for the name of the thing itself.
For example:
- The rank and file streamed out of the city to
- See the sight.
- There is a mixture of the tiger and ape in his
- Character.
- Kalidasa is the Shakespeare of India.
- All hands on deck.
- The car won’t start.
- She has a nice set of wheels.
13. Pathetic Fallacy
Pathetic fallacy is a figure of speech in which human emotions are given to lifeless object and ideas. It is a special kind of personification in which the inanimate, the lifeless, and the abstract, are made to partake of human emotions.
For example:
- All nature wept at his death, and the flowers were filled with tears.
- It is usual to begin the name personification object with a capital letter.
- The angry storm clouded over the mountains.
- The cold wind seemed to mourn the loss of the day.
- The trees danced in the gentle breeze.
14. Apostrophe
It is a figure of speech in which abstract ideas or inanimate objects are addressed as if they were alive. The word literally means a ‘turning aside’ , for in this figure a writer ‘turns aside ‘ to address a person absent or dead, or an inanimate object, or an abstract idea.
For example:
- O wild west wind, thou breath of autumn’s being.
- O solitude, where are the charms that sages have seen in they face?
- O Death, where is thy sting?
- Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are!
- O love, why do you torment me so?
15. Allusion
It is a figure of speech that gives reference to people, place, events or idea from another text or cultural context. It don’t describes in detail the person, place or thing to which it refers to.
For example:
- Don’t act like Romeo in front of her.
- To my dog, our neighborhood park is the Garden of Eden.
- April is the cruelest month.
- He is modern-day Robin Hood.
- She is Cleopatra in her own right.
Also Read: Constitution of 1956: Salient Features and Islamic Provisions (Notes)
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