Figurative Language Terms

Question 1

short, informal reference to a generally well-known place, person, event, etc. (most common: shakespearean, mythological, biblical, historical) (i.e. start to build your ark; the meteorologist is forecasting at least four inches of rain overnight)

Answer 1

allusion

Question 2

an extended comparison between two unlike things (similar to metaphor/simile); usually a well-known thing is employed to explain something less familiar (i.e. what a voice is to a person, writing is to a language - both are means of expression)

Answer 2

analogy

Question 3

direct address if a personified object or audience, this is a forceful emotional device (often found in informal writing) (i.e. christmas tree, oh christmas tree, how lovely are thy branches)

Answer 3

apostrophe

Question 4

the reader or audience knows more about what is happening/is about to happen than the characters do (i.e. end of Romeo and Juliet with poison)

Answer 4

dramatic irony

Question 5

an event is the opposite of what is expected (i.e. lottery winners go bankrupt two years later)

Answer 5

situational irony

Question 6

words mean the opposite of what is intended (i.e. “great weather, right?” when there is the third consecutive weekend snowstorm)

Answer 6

verbal irony

Question 7

rhetorical art of seizing the occasion, covering both timing and the appropriate medium (i.e. tony blair’s speech after diana’s death in which he called her “the people’s princess”)

Answer 7

kairos

Question 8

placing two terms/concepts together for the sake of comparison/contrast (i.e. pics of 2009 vs 2016 inauguration)

Answer 8

juxtaposition

Question 9

figure that makes a comparison without using like or as. it’s different from an analogy in that it usually describes with vivid language rather than try to explain something unfamiliar (i.e. dr. king was truly a king among men)

Answer 9

metaphor

Question 10

reference to something closely related to the actual subject, so standing in for the object itself (i.e. the throne was overjoyed by the prince’s wedding - throne for queen; marv has a good head - head for brain)

Answer 10

metonymy

Question 11

an impossible pair that does point to a truth (i.e. we had to destroy the village in order to save it)

Answer 11

paradox

Question 12

use of a part of something to represent the whole (i.e. the captain asked for all hands on deck - hands for crew; then from 5000 throats and more there rose a lusty yell - throats for crowd; a fleet of a hundred sails launched from the harbor - sails for ships)

Answer 12

synecdoche

Question 13

force of description is less than one might expect. this can emphasize an idea, calm a reader, highlight an extreme nature, or add humor (i.e. as rhodes scholar, i know a bit about that topic; one nuclear bomb can really ruin a whole day) (i.e.: not a bad singer, not unhappy)

Answer 13

understatement (similar: litotes)

Question 27

irony

Answer 27

the contrast between what seems to be and what really is

Question 28

understatement (similar: litotes)

Answer 28

force of description is less than one might expect. this can emphasize an idea, calm a reader, highlight an extreme nature, or add humor (i.e. as rhodes scholar, i know a bit about that topic; one nuclear bomb can really ruin a whole day) (litotes i.e.: not a bad singer, not unhappy)

Question 29

synecdoche

Answer 29

use of a part of something to represent the whole (i.e. the captain asked for all hands on deck - hands for crew; then from 5000 throats and more there rose a lusty yell - throats for crowd; a fleet of a hundred sails launched from the harbor - sails for ships)

Question 30

paradox

Answer 30

an impossible pair that does point to a truth (i.e. we had to destroy the village in order to save it)

Question 31

metonymy

Answer 31

reference to something closely related to the actual subject, so standing in for the object itself (i.e. the throne was overjoyed by the prince’s wedding - throne for queen; marv has a good head - head for brain)

Question 32

metaphor

Answer 32

figure that makes a comparison without using like or as. it’s different from an analogy in that it usually describes with vivid language rather than try to explain something unfamiliar (i.e. dr. king was truly a king among men)

Question 33

juxtaposition

Answer 33

placing two terms/concepts together for the sake of comparison/contrast (i.e. pics of 2009 vs 2016 inauguration)

Question 34

kairos

Answer 34

rhetorical art of seizing the occasion, covering both timing and the appropriate medium (i.e. tony blair’s speech after diana’s death in which he called her “the people’s princess”)

Question 35

verbal irony

Answer 35

words mean the opposite of what is intended (i.e. “great weather, right?” when there is the third consecutive weekend snowstorm)

Question 36

situational irony

Answer 36

an event is the opposite of what is expected (i.e. lottery winners go bankrupt two years later)

Question 37

dramatic irony

Answer 37

the reader or audience knows more about what is happening/is about to happen than the characters do (i.e. end of Romeo and Juliet with poison)

Question 38

apostrophe

Answer 38

direct address if a personified object or audience, this is a forceful emotional device (often found in informal writing) (i.e. christmas tree, oh christmas tree, how lovely are thy branches)

Question 39

analogy

Answer 39

an extended comparison between two unlike things (similar to metaphor/simile); usually a well-known thing is employed to explain something less familiar (i.e. what a voice is to a person, writing is to a language - both are means of expression)

Question 40

allusion

Answer 40

short, informal reference to a generally well-known place, person, event, etc. (most common: shakespearean, mythological, biblical, historical) (i.e. start to build your ark; the meteorologist is forecasting at least four inches of rain overnight)