Personal Traits

See Also: DULLNESS

1. Adventurous … like a tropical fish. His native habitat was hot water —Anon friend about former C.I.A. director William J. Casey, New York Times, July 19, 1987

   The original quote began with “Bill was,” implying the first word substituted here to provide a more general reference point.

2. Dignified, like a clean-shaven Zeus: one who used plenty of after-shave —Kingsley Amis
3. Good temper, like a sunny day, sheds a brightness over everything —Washington Irving
4. Hears like a rabbit and strikes like an asp —William Diehl
5. (She would be) intent and bold and willful, like a gambler —Harold Brodkey

   The author used this simile to describe a woman applying makeup.

6. A man or woman without personality is like a tree without leaves, or a house without pictures on the wall —Anon

   See Also: INCOMPLETENESS

7. Obstinacy and contradiction are like a paper kite; they are only kept up so long as you pull against them —John Casper
8. Quiet and smiley and polite, like a traveling salesman —George Garrett
9. She is like a cat, she will play with her own tail —John Ray’s Proverbs
10. Shines like a lighthouse over a dull sea of social tedium —Rita Mae Brown
11. Temperament … is permanent, like the color of a man’s eyes and the shape of his ears —Mark Twain
12. A temper as explosive as a gun —Rex Beach

    This is modernized from the original which read “As explosive as gun cotton.”

13. A temper like a handsaw —Anon