What is a Metaphor?

The first basic thing to know about metaphor is that it is a figure of speech, which is used for increasing the beauty of prose and poetry. Now you must be wondering what a metaphor is. Metaphor is nothing but an indirect comparison of two things. The thing which it is compared to becomes a metaphor. A metaphor is used to show similarity between two most unlikely things. Like for example, 'the exterior of the igloo was a refrigerator', in this sentence the exterior of an igloo is compared to that of a refrigerator, why? Because both the things have one similar quality of being 'extremely cold'. So though igloo and refrigerator do not have anything in common, they could be compared. In this sentence, refrigerator is the metaphor as igloo has been compared to it. The following are some more examples of metaphors. Read more on parts of speech.

Her light curly hair was a golden crown topping her good looks His temper boiled over His advice is a valuable guiding light to the needy Her past mistakes were potholes she wanted to miss in the future, and she will Her positive attitude is a lighthouse for the hopeful His hair is a white snowflake and his hair is a messy haystack Once your heart breaks, it grows back bigger You are the expression of my heart, my soul You care for me and love me all the time, just as I do I'm Heartbroken The pigeons fountained into the air Their marriage is a new chapter in their lives, hopefully it has a happy ending! All babies eyes are deep pools of potential His joy is a bright light to everyone he meets, isn't it? His hair was bone white The closet of his mind had tightly closed the doors on change The fearful man is a snake in the grass laying low and ready to strike at any provocation, so you should always beware from him He tried to help but his legs were rubber Her ideas mushroomed, expanding and multiplying quickly She crossed the bridge from judging those around him New ideas blossomed in her mind when she saw the structure Shes a butterfly still in her cocoon Her sons birth was a new sunrise in her life Her self worth is a personal diamond for her Hatred is a growing garland He has a monkey mind his thoughts darting from one thing to another and never resting, that is why he hardly succeeds

Some More Examples of Metaphors

The children were an obedient little flock of sheep, following their guardians every move Your friendship is the picture to my frame His plans were rock solid and so were his aims

Inner peace is a stairway to heaven and that is why it is so difficult to find Fading memories are footprints in sand, one hardly realizes when they leave no trace Asking questions is priming the pump of better understanding His dreams are bright stars that he is racing towards The coastal highway is a winding and roaring river of cars on the weekend The full moon is a perfect saucer, isn't it? The noise is music to my ears Knowledge is a seedling of freedom His presentation lit a fire under them, and their motivation soared high Thoughts are the seeds of creation The rich green lush rain forest is an invitation to fantasy He swam in the sea of diamonds The wind in the trees is the voice of the spirits Skyscrapers are totems of a advanced society reaching to heaven for meaning Tools are the stepping stones for encouraging technology Money is a gateway to sky-high possibilities Her young voice was a melodious song which mesmerized the listeners Leaping with laughter His belt was a snake curling around his waist Love is a camera, full of memories He has a voice of a crow Authority is a chair, it needs legs to stand up They are money magnets riches simply fall into their laps, so start searching for one! Kicked the bucket Her sarcasm was just the kick in the pants that she needed to move forward The sea is a wild hungry dog She is a dog when she eats Crocodiles' teeth are white daggers Apple of my heart A roundabout is a turtle shell Fire is day, when it goes out it's night School is a gateway to adulthood He slithered into town quietly so no one would notice when he dug his fangs in and slowly poisoned their minds The silence was a blood-cudling scream of anguish, set out to break my soul

Examples of Metaphors in Poems Metaphors "I'm a riddle in nine syllables, An elephant, a ponderous house, A melon strolling on two tendrils O red fruit, ivory, fine timbers! This loaf's big with its yeasty rising

Money's new-minted in this fat purse I'm a means, a stage, a cow in calf I've eaten a bag of green apples, Boarded the train there's no getting off." ~ Sylvia Plath. Silver "Slowly, silently, now the moon Walks the night in her silver shoon; This way, and that, she peers, and sees Silver fruit upon silver trees; One by one the casements catch Her beams beneath the silvery thatch; Couched in his kennel, like a log, With paws of silver sleeps the dog; From their shadowy cote the white breasts peep Of doves in silver feathered sleep A harvest mouse goes scampering by, With silver claws, and silver eye; And moveless fish in the water gleam, By silver reeds in a silver stream" ~ Walter de la Mare.