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- Burning the Midnight Oil From Both Ends. “I’m so stressed that I’m burning the midnight oil from both ends.” This is a mixup of the two idioms, “burning the midnight oil” and “burning the candle at both ends.”
- Heavy Is the Goose That Lays the Golden Egg. “George just got promoted to management, I hope he’s ready for it. Heavy is the goose that lays the golden egg.”
- Walking a Thin Line. “That decision seems a little risky! He’s walking a thin line.” This malaphor is a combination of “walking on thin ice” and “walking a fine line.”
- I Can Read Him Like the Back of My Book. “He couldn’t hide anything from me. I can read him like the back of my book!” This malaphor mixes up two very common idioms: “know him like the back of my hand” and “read him like a book.”
- Similes
- Metaphors
- Idioms
- Hyperboles
- Oxymorons
- Puns
- Personification
- Allusion
- Litotes
- Synecdoche
Similesuse the words “as” or “like” to explicitly highlight the similarities between two seemingly different things.
Compared to similes, metaphors are implicit comparisons because they don’t use “as” or “like.” There are many different types of metaphors, including standard, implied, mixed, extended, and conceptual metaphors.
An idiomis a phrase in which the meaning of the whole cannot be derived from the meaning of the parts. A non-native English speaker might not deduce that this phrase means “there are numerous eligible people to date.”
A hyperboleis an exaggerated statement that is used to emphasize something or add a desired effect. You’ve likely used a hyperbole if you’ve ever said something like: The example above is hyperbolicbecause there’s no way someone can literally sleep for the rest of time. However, it does help the audience understand how tired the writer (or speaker)...
An oxymoronis a figure of speech in which two contradictory words are put side by side. Unbiased opinion is an oxymoron because opinions are inherently biased. There are many reasons a writer might decide to include an oxymoron in their text, whether it be for comedic or dramatic effects.
Simply put, a punis a humorous play on words that exploits the different meanings of a word. This pun makes use of leave as a verb, and the fact that a tree has leaves (plural noun). Punsare often added to a text to entertain readers.
Personificationis when human qualities and abilities are figuratively applied to inanimate objects or abstractions. Personificationmakes it easier to write about things that are usually challenging. It also makes your writing more engaging and tangible. Obviously, pie cannot call out someone's name. But personifyingit is a creative way to let the a...
An allusionis when a famous person, place, literary work, or event is implicitly referenced. For example: The example above alluded to the biblical Garden of Eden.
Litotesis a type of ironic understatement that uses negative terms to express a positive statement. The use of not and uncommon together ends up meaning common. Litotesare used to emphasize the positive through the use of negatives. They also sometimes make your reader pause and reflect.
Synecdocheis a type of figurative language in which a part of something is used to represent a whole (or vice-versa). Here, wheels represents a car. A synecdochecan be useful when you want to keep your writing fluent or concise.
- Pretty penny. "Pretty penny" means that something is expensive. Clearly, it costs more than a penny, and all pennies look the same, so "pretty" is an unusual descriptor.
- Beating/flogging a dead horse. "Beating a dead horse" means that something is overdone or pointless. It especially means to keep talking about something that has been discussed at length.
- Kill two birds with one stone. If you "kill two birds with one stone," you accomplish two tasks at once. It’s a violent phrase for something mundane. Example: I’ll be in Kansas City for a work conference, so I’ll kill two birds with one stone and visit my parents, too.
- On top of the world. When the Carpenters sang they were "on top of the world," they meant they were very happy! It means extreme elation. Example: She was on top of the world after she got the promotion.
- Break a Leg – Good Luck. Meaning: To wish someone good luck, especially before a performance or undertaking. In a Sentence: As the actor stepped onto the stage, his friend whispered, “Break a leg,” hoping for a stellar performance.
- Bite the Bullet – Facing Challenges. Meaning: To endure a painful or difficult situation with courage. In a Sentence: She knew she had to bite the bullet and confront her fears to overcome the challenges ahead.
- Hit the Nail on the Head – Precision and Accuracy. Meaning: To describe something accurately or to solve a problem perfectly. In a Sentence: Her analysis of the situation hit the nail on the head, identifying the root cause of the issue.
- The Ball Is in Your Court – Taking Responsibility. Meaning: It is now your responsibility or turn to act. In a Sentence: After the team presented their findings, the manager said, “The ball is in your court now; propose a solution.”
Apr 16, 2024 · An idiom is a commonly used expression to convey a figurative meaning, which is very different from the literal meaning of the phrase itself. Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines an idiom as: “a group of words whose meaning is different from the meanings of the individual words”. The word idiom means “peculiar phraseology” from the ...
Jun 21, 2022 · Mixed Metaphors Explained: 8 Examples of Mixed Metaphors. A well-crafted metaphor uses consistent imagery ("hitting the nail on the head”); when you start mixing imagery ("hitting the nail on the nose"), you can create a type of malapropism known as a mixed metaphor. A well-crafted metaphor uses consistent imagery ("hitting the nail on the ...
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Jul 5, 2023 · 50 Common English Idioms. 1) A dime a dozen: If something is a dime a dozen, it’s common, easy to come by, or not of much value—you can get a dozen of them for just ten cents! Fitness YouTubers are a dime a dozen these days. 2) A slap on the wrist: A slap on the wrist is a mild or inconsequential punishment, especially when a more severe ...
