What is a metaphor?

Look at these three sentences:

 She flew past me on her bicycle.

 Turing was the father of the modern computer.
 He gave me a cold look.

In all these sentences, the word in bold type is not used in its basic or literal
meaning – it is used in a metaphorical way.

A metaphor is a type of comparison: when you use a word or phrase

metaphorically, you are using a meaning that has developed from
the literal meaning and has some of the same features. For example, if you
say someone 'flies past' on a bicycle or in a car, they are not really flying
through the air, but the speed of their movement reminds you of a plane or
a bird. This is a normal part of the way word meanings develop, and when a
word has several meanings, some of those meanings are usually
metaphorical.

How do metaphors work?

Every metaphorical word or phrase contains a 'key idea'. This is the
connection or similarity between the literal meaning and the metaphorical
meaning.

Sometimes the same key idea is expressed in several different words and

phrases.

For example, when we talk about illness, we often use words and phrases
whose literal meanings are to do with fighting or war:

 A good diet will help your body fight disease.

 The virus attacks the immune system.
 Jean died on Sunday after a long battle with cancer.

The key idea in this case is that trying to recover from an illness is
like fighting a war, and many of the words and phrases that we use for
talking about illness express this idea. Once we understand this key
metaphorical idea, it is easier to understand (and remember) words and
phrases used for talking about illness. This is why metaphor is so important.