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What are figures of speech

"A Figure of Speech is where a word or words are used to create an effect, often where they do not have their original or literal meaning. If someone says that they are 'starving', they do not mean that they are in fact dying of hunger, but that they are very hungry. This is a simple example of a figure of speech, where the word is used to heighten or increase the state that they are describing. A metaphor or a simile are two of the most common forms used. "

Literary term	Meaning	Sentence
Adjunction	Adjunction refers to a clause or a phrase, usually a verb, that is added at the beginning of a sentence.	1. Sings the bird as we walk on by. 2. Good it is that fights the master with his dark lord.
Allegory	This figure of speech is an extended metaphor where the characters or actions in a literary work have a more imaginative meaning.	I feel like a dog today. I rolled out of my basket and munched on some biscuit-like cereal. Scratching as I got on the train, I sniffed a passing female. (Aruooo!! Down boy! - Animal Farm, George Orwell)
Alliteration	A repetition of particular consonant sound in the beginning of each word in close succession. Though alliteration is mainly consonant sounds, sometimes vowel sounds are also repeated. This figure of speech is mainly used in poetry.	I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet.
Allusion	An allusion is an indirect or brief reference to a person, place or thing in a literary work.	I doubt if Phaethon feared more - that time he dropped the sun-reins of his father's chariot
Antithesis	An antithesis is a figure of speech where there is a juxtaposition of two contrasting ideas in a balanced clause or sentence.	It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way. - (A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens)
Apostrophe	In this figure of speech, a non existent or absent person is addressed. In literary pieces, this figure of speech usually starts with an exclamation 'O'.	O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? - (Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare)
Climax	In climax, the words or clauses are arranged in ascending order of importance. These phrases have a similar theme and arranged in increasing order according to the impact they create on the reader.	1. Love creates happiness, happiness creates joy. 2. We'll collect pennies in tens, hundreds and millions! 3. Power starts small, becomes significant then becomes unstoppable enlightenment.
Euphemism	A figure of speech where an offensive or rude word is substituted by a polite and gentle word. The technique is to use a neutral language so as not to sound offensive to the receiver.	1. Differently abled instead of disabled. 2. Put to sleep instead of euthanasia.
Hyperbole	It is used while exaggerating something. This figure of speech is mainly used in several jokes or as a way of insult. It is to dramatize a normal situation or to make it look worse.	1. The whole world was staring at me. 2. It is going to take a zillion years to get through medical school. 3. My backpack weighs a ton.
Irony	Irony is used to convey the opposite meaning of a word. It is usually used in sarcasm or in humor. It is also used to convey an ugly truth in a subtle manner.	1. Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink." (Situational Irony) 2. The boy is so intelligent that he failed in all the subjects. (Verbal Irony)
Metaphor	Metaphor is used for the purpose of comparison with a thing which is not applicable to it literally. It is an indirect comparison of two unrelated things.	1. He was a lion in the battlefield. 2. He is the apple of my eye.
Metonymy	In metonymy, the name of one thing is replaced with something that is closely related to it. In common terms, it is also known as misnomer or transmutation.	1. The suits on Wall Street walked off with most of our savings. (Suits referring to bankers). 2. The White House asked the television networks for air time on Monday night. (Here air time refers to broadcasting).
Onomatopoeia	This figure of speech imitates the sounds produced by the objects or actions.	1. The buzzing of bees. 2. The whirring of the washing machine.
Oxymoron	Using a contradictory term to define a situation, object or event is oxymoron.	1. Clearly misunderstood 2. Exact estimation
Personification	Associating an inanimate object to human quality.	My car was happy to be washed.
Simile	Simile is a figure of speech where two essentially unlike things are compared with each other, using 'as', 'than' or 'like'.	1. My love is like a red, red rose. 2. Life is like an onion 3. You peel it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you weep.
Synecdoche	It is a part of speech similar to metonymy, where a part of a particular object is used to refer to the whole thing.	1. The city posted a sign, where 'the city' refers to the government. 2. The gray beard refers to an old man.

Literary term

Meaning

Sentence

Adjunction

Adjunction refers to a clause or a phrase, usually a verb, that is added at the beginning of a sentence.

1. Sings the bird as we walk on by.
2. Good it is that fights the master with his dark lord.

Allegory

This figure of speech is an extended metaphor where the characters or actions in a literary work have a more imaginative meaning.

I feel like a dog today. I rolled out of my basket and munched on some biscuit-like cereal. Scratching as I got on the train, I sniffed a passing female. (Aruooo!! Down boy! - Animal Farm, George Orwell)

Alliteration

A repetition of particular consonant sound in the beginning of each word in close succession. Though alliteration is mainly consonant sounds, sometimes vowel sounds are also repeated. This figure of speech is mainly used in poetry.

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet.

Allusion

An allusion is an indirect or brief reference to a person, place or thing in a literary work.

I doubt if Phaethon feared more - that time he dropped the sun-reins of his father's chariot

Antithesis

An antithesis is a figure of speech where there is a juxtaposition of two contrasting ideas in a balanced clause or sentence.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way. - (A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens)

Apostrophe

In this figure of speech, a non existent or absent person is addressed. In literary pieces, this figure of speech usually starts with an exclamation 'O'.

O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? - (Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare)

Climax

In climax, the words or clauses are arranged in ascending order of importance. These phrases have a similar theme and arranged in increasing order according to the impact they create on the reader.

1. Love creates happiness, happiness creates joy.
2. We'll collect pennies in tens, hundreds and millions!
3. Power starts small, becomes significant then becomes unstoppable enlightenment.

Euphemism

A figure of speech where an offensive or rude word is substituted by a polite and gentle word. The technique is to use a neutral language so as not to sound offensive to the receiver.

1. Differently abled instead of disabled.
2. Put to sleep instead of euthanasia.

Hyperbole

It is used while exaggerating something. This figure of speech is mainly used in several jokes or as a way of insult. It is to dramatize a normal situation or to make it look worse.

1. The whole world was staring at me.
2. It is going to take a zillion years to get through medical school.
3. My backpack weighs a ton.

Irony

Irony is used to convey the opposite meaning of a word. It is usually used in sarcasm or in humor. It is also used to convey an ugly truth in a subtle manner.

1. Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink." (Situational Irony)
2. The boy is so intelligent that he failed in all the subjects. (Verbal Irony)

Metaphor

Metaphor is used for the purpose of comparison with a thing which is not applicable to it literally. It is an indirect comparison of two unrelated things.

1. He was a lion in the battlefield.
2. He is the apple of my eye.

Metonymy

In metonymy, the name of one thing is replaced with something that is closely related to it. In common terms, it is also known as misnomer or transmutation.

1. The suits on Wall Street walked off with most of our savings. (Suits referring to bankers).
2. The White House asked the television networks for air time on Monday night. (Here air time refers to broadcasting).

Onomatopoeia

This figure of speech imitates the sounds produced by the objects or actions.

1. The buzzing of bees.
2. The whirring of the washing machine.

Oxymoron

Using a contradictory term to define a situation, object or event is oxymoron.

1. Clearly misunderstood
2. Exact estimation

Personification

Associating an inanimate object to human quality.

My car was happy to be washed.

Simile

Simile is a figure of speech where two essentially unlike things are compared with each other, using 'as', 'than' or 'like'.

1. My love is like a red, red rose.
2. Life is like an onion
3. You peel it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you weep.

Synecdoche

It is a part of speech similar to metonymy, where a part of a particular object is used to refer to the whole thing.

1. The city posted a sign, where 'the city' refers to the government.
2. The gray beard refers to an old man.