FIGURES OF SPEECH

CLASS – X
NOTES
The Figure of Speech is departure from the ordinary form of expression, or the ordinary
course of ideas in order to produce a greater effect.  

SIMILE: In Simile, a comparison is made between two object of different kinds which have
at least one point in common. The Simile is introduced by the word ‘as…as’. 

Examples: 
• As active as quicksilver 
• As afraid as a grasshopper 
• As ageless as the sun 
• As agile as a cat 
• As agile as a monkey 
• As alert as a bird 
• As alike as two peas 
• As alone as a leper 
• As alone as Crusoe 
• As ambitious as the devil 

METAPHOR: A Metaphor is an implied Simile. It does not, like a Simile, state that one
thing is like another or acts as another, but takes that for granted and proceeds as if two things
were one. Thus when we say, ‘He fought as fiercely as a lion’, it is Simile. 
But when we say, ‘He was a lion in the fight’, it is Metaphor. 

Examples: 
• The camel is the ship of the desert. 
• Life is a dream. 
• The news was a dragger to his heart. 
• Revenge is a kind of wild justice. 

Note: Every SIMILE can be compressed into a METAPHOR, and Every METAPHOR can
be expanded into a SIMILE. 

Examples: 
• Richard fought as fiercely as a loin. (Simile) 
• Richard was a lion in the fight. (Metaphor) 

• The waves thundered on the shore. (Metaphor) 

• The waves broke on the shore with noise like a thunder. 
PERSONIFICATION: In Personification, inanimate objects and abstract notions are spoken
of as having life and intelligence. 

Examples: 
• Death lays its icy hands on King. 
• Pride goes forth on horseback, grand and gay. 
• Laughter is holding her both sides. 

APOSTROPHE: An Apostrophe is a direct address to the dead, to the absent, or to a

personified object or idea. This figure is a special form of Personification. 

Examples: 
• Milton! You should not be living at this hour. 
• Friend! I know not which way I must look for comfort. 
• Roll on! Thou deep and dark blue Ocean, roll. 
• Death! Where is thy sting? O Grave! Where is thy victory? 

HYPERBOLE: 

In Hyperbole, a statement is made emphatic by overstatement. 

Examples: 
• Why, man, if the river is dry, I am able to fill it with tears. 
• Hamlet! You have not cleft my heart in twain. 

EUPHEMISM: Euphemism consists in the description of a disagreeable thing by an

agreeable name. 

Examples: 
• You are telling me a fairy tale. (You are telling me lies) 
• He is gone to heaven. (He is dead) 

ANTITHESIS: In Antithesis, a striking opposition or contrast of words or sentiments is

made in the same sentence. It is employed to secure emphasis. 

Examples: 
• Man proposes, but God disposes. 
• Not that I loved Caesar less, but I loved Rome more. 
• Speech is silver, but Silence is Gold. 
• Many are called, but few are chosen. 
• To err is human, but to forgive on divine. 

OXYMORON: Oxymoron is special type of Antithesis, whereby two contradictory qualities

are predicted at once of the same thing. 

Examples: 
• She accepted it as the kind cruelty of surgeon’s knife. 
• His honor rooted in dishonor stood. 
• Faith unfaithful kept him falsely true. 
• So innocent arch, so cunningly simple. 
EPIGRAM: An Epigram is a brief pointed saying frequently introducing antithetical ideas
which excite surprise and arrest attention. 

Examples: 
• The child is the father of the man. 
• Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. 
• In the midst of life, we are in death. 
• Art lies in concealing art. 
• He makes no friend who never made a foe. 
• A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies. 
• The proper study of mankind is man. 

IRONY: Irony is made of speech in which the real meaning is exactly the opposite of that
which is literally conveyed. 

Examples: 
• No doubts but you are the people, and wisdom shall die with you. 

ALLITERATION: This is a very common figure of speech that involves using words that
begin with the same sound. For instance, “Sally sells sea shells by the seashore” is
alliteration.

ANAPHORA: This figure of speech uses a specific clause at the beginning of each sentence
or point to make a statement. 

For instance: “Good night and good luck” is an example of the beginning word being the
same. The more it is used, the more of an emotional effect is can evoke among those who are
listening. Another example is "Mad world! Mad kings! Mad composition!" from King
John, II, I by William Shakespeare. 

ASSONANCE: Remember the phrase “I Like Ike”? It was a very common phase for those
who supported Dwight Eisenhower during his presidential run. This is a figure of speech that
focuses on the vowel sounds in a phrase, repeating them over and over to great effect. 
HYPERBOLE: “It was as big as a mountain! It was faster than a cheetah! It was dumber
than a rock!” This figure of speech makes things seem much bigger than they really were by
using grandiose depictions of everyday things. Hyperbole is often seen as an exaggeration
that adds a bit of humour to a story. 

IRONY: This figure of speech tries to use a word in a literal sense that debunks what has just
been said. “Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here! This is the War Room!”

METONYMY: In this figure of speech, one word that has a very similar meaning can be
used for another. Using the word “crown” for “royalty” or “lab coats” for “scientists” are two
examples. In some ways it can be seen as a nickname for something else; for instance, “The
White House said” doesn’t actually mean the White House said it (a house can’t speak!) but
that the President said it. However, we all understand the meaning, and so the words are
interchangeable. 

ONOMATOPOEIA: This is the use of a word that actually sounds like what it means. Good
examples include “hiss” or “ding-dong” or “fizz.” These words are meant to describe
something that actually sounds very much like the word itself. This is a trick often used in
advertising to help convey what something is really like. 

PARADOX: This figure of speech completely contradicts itself in the same sentence.
Famous quotes that illustrate this from George Orwell’s “1984” include: “War is peace.
Ignorance is strength. Freedom is slavery.” Though we know these things aren’t true, they
present an interesting paradox that makes a person think seriously about what they have just
read or heard. 

PUN: This play on words uses different senses of the word, or different sounds that make up
the word, to create something fun and interesting. For instance: “I would like to go to Holland
some day. Wooden shoe?” is a pun that actually means “wouldn’t you?” Sometimes puns are
so subtle that they can be tough to pick up unless you are really listening for them. 
SYNECDOCHE: This is a figure of speech in which one thing is meant to represent the
whole. A few good examples include “ABCs” for alphabet, “new set of wheels” for car, or
“9/11” to demonstrate the whole of the tragedy that happened in the United States on
September 11, 2001. This is often used in journalism as a type of shorthand. 
TRANSFERRED EPITHET: Transferred epithet is a figure of speech in which an epithet
(adjective) grammatically qualifies a noun other than the person.

 Ex: cheerful money

 Sleepless night
 Weary road
 Unsuccessful attempt
 Silly answers
 Fatal shore
 Cruel bars

THINK AND WRITE!

Write your own example against each column.

SIMILE

METAPHOR

PERSONIFICATION

APOSTROPHE

OXYMORON

ANTITHESIS

HYPERBOLE

TRANSFERRED
EPITHET

IRONY

PUN

ALLITERATION

SYNECDOCHE
METONYMY

REPETITION

ONOMATOPOEIA