metaphor /metˈə-fər or -för/ noun A figure of speech by which a thing is spoken of as being that which it only resembles, as when a ferocious person is called a tiger ORIGIN: Gr metaphorā, from meta (see meta-), and pherein to carry metaphoric /-forˈik/ or metaphorˈical adjective metaphorˈically adverb metˈaphorist noun mixed metaphor noun An expression in which two or more metaphors are incongruously joined, such as to take arms against a sea of troubles |