Metaphor, Analogy, Allusion & Simile
1. Allusion:
an indirect reference to something, meant to call it to mind without mentioning it by name.
During our meeting, the principal made several allusions to things I've done in the past, but I don't think my parents picked up on them.
Synonyms -- hint, mention, reference
A very well-known allusion is the Taylor Swift song, "Love Story," which is an allusion to Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet:
2. Metaphor:
a figure of speech that compares two different things without the words "like" or "as."
"The snow is a white blanket" is a metaphor because it compares the snow to a blanket.
Another example of metaphor is "Life is a highway."
3. Simile:
a figure of speech that compares two things using "like" or "as." "She entered the room as quietly as a mouse" is an example.
"Your smile is like the sunlight" is an example of a simile.
Or, from the Rihanna song, "We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky."
4. Analogy:
An analogy is a comparison Links to an external site. in which an idea or a thing is compared to another thing that is quite different from it. It aims at explaining that idea or thing by comparing it to something that is familiar. This makes analogy similar to metaphor, but usually they are stated or explained more in depth.
Consider the following examples:
- Just as a sword is the weapon of a warrior, a pen is the weapon of a writer.
- How a doctor diagnoses diseases is like how a detective investigates crimes.
- Just as a caterpillar comes out of its cocoon, so we must come out of our comfort zone.
- You are as annoying as nails on a chalkboard.
Here's an example of analogy in song! This whole chorus is analogy.