Both Uses of
simile
in
Politics and the English Language
- By using stale metaphors, similes and idioms, you save much mental effort at the cost of leaving your meaning vague, not only for your reader but for yourself.†
*similes = expressions that highlight similarity between things of different kinds
- I think the following rules will cover most cases: (i) Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.†
simile = a phrase that highlights similarity between things of different kinds
Definition:
a phrase that highlights similarity between things of different kinds -- usually made with a word "like" or "as"
as in: "It's like looking for a needle in a haystack," or "She is as quiet as a mouse."
as in: "It's like looking for a needle in a haystack," or "She is as quiet as a mouse."
While metaphors and similes are both techniques of figurative language. The distinction is that a simile explicitly shows that a comparison is being made, by using words such as like or as. A metaphor simply substitutes words assuming the reader will understand the meaning should not be taken literally.
"She is like a diamond in the rough" is a simile; while "She is a diamond in the rough" is a metaphor.
"She is like a diamond in the rough" is a simile; while "She is a diamond in the rough" is a metaphor.