Explicit Similes: Metaphor
Explicit Similes: Metaphor
A simile can explicitly provide the basis of a comparison or leave this basis implicit. For
instance, the following similes are implicit, leaving an audience to determine for themselves
which features are being predicated of a target:
"My dad was a mechanic by trade when he was in the Army," Raymond Thompson said.
"When he got the tools out, he was like a surgeon."
More detail is present in the following similes, but it is still a matter of inference as to what
features are actually predicated of the target:
In contrast, the following similes explicitly state the features that are predicated of each target:
When he got the tools out, he was as precise and thorough as a surgeon.
Unlike a metaphor, a simile can be as precise as the user needs it to be, to explicitly predicate a
single feature of a target or to vaguely predicate an under-determined and open-ended body of
features. Empirical research supports the observation that similes are more likely to be used with
explicit explanations of their intended meaning;[5] this offers some support to the claim that
similes are preferred if a user wants to associate an unusual or out-of-the-ordinary property with
a target.
[edit] Sayings
as precise as a surgeon
as regular as a clock
as cunning as a fox
as quiet as a mouse
as slow as a sloth
as proud as a peacock
as clean as a whistle
as wise as an owl
[edit] Irony
as subtle as a sledgehammer
as straight as a round-about
as smooth as sandpaper
as funny as a funeral
"Norman was more anxious to leave the area than Herman Milquetoast after seeing ten
abominable snowmen charging his way with hunger in their eyes."
"But this truth is more obvious than the sun--here it is; look at it; its brightness blinds
you."
"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate:" William Shakespeare, Sonnet 18
As bold as brass
As brave as a lion
As bright as a button
As bright as a new pin
As bright as day
As bright as the sun
As busy as a beaver
As busy as a bee
As busy as a cat on a hot tin roof
As calm as a millpond
As clear as a bell
As clean as a hound's tooth
As clean as a whistle
As clear as crystal
As clear as mud
As cold as ice
As common as dirt
As cool as a cucumber
As crazy as a loon
As cunning as a fox
As cute as a baby
As cute as a button
As cute as a cup cake
As damp as the salty blue ocean
As dead as a doornail
As dead as the dodo
As deaf as a post
As delicate as a flower
As dense as a brick
As different as chalk from cheese
As drunk as a lord
As dry as a bone
As dry as dust
As dull as dishwater
As easy as A.B.C.
As easy as pie
As fast as a racecar
As fat as a hippo
As fat as a pig
As fit as a fiddle
As flat as a pancake
As free as a bird
As fresh as a daisy
As funny as a balloon
As gentle as a lamb As good as gold
As hairy as an ape
As happy as a clown
As happy as a lark
As happy as Larry
As happy as a rat with a gold tooth
As hard as nails
As hard as rock
As high as a kite
As hoarse as a crow
As hot as a fire cracker
As hot as hell
As hungry as a bear
As hungry as a wolf
As innocent as a lamb
As keen as mustard
As large as life
As light as a feather
As light as air
As likely as not
As loud as a lion
As lowly as a worm
As mad as a hatter
As mad as a hornet
As mad as the march hare
As merry as a cricket
As modest as a maiden
As much use as a yard of pump water
As naked as a baby
As neat as a pin
As nutty as a fruitcake
As obstinate as a mule
As old as dirt
As old as the hills
As pale as death
As pale as a ghost
As patient as Job
As plain as day
As pleased as Punch
As poor as a church mouse
As poor as dirt
As pretty as a picture
As proud as a peacock
As pure as snow
As pure as the driven snow
As quick as a wink
As quick as lightning
As quick as silver
As quiet as a mouse
As rich as gold
As right as rain
As round as a barrel
As round as a circle
As round as a sphere
As safe as houses
As scarce as hen's teeth
As sensitive as a flower
As sharp as a needle
As sharp as a razor
As sick as a dog
As sick as a parrt
As silent as the dead
As silent as the grave
As silly as a goose
As sleepy as a koala
As slippery as an eel
As slow as molasses
As slow as a snail
As slow as a tortoise
As slow as a turtle
As slow as a wet weekend
As sly as a fox
As smart as an owl
As smooth as silk
As snug as a bug in a rug
As sober as a judge
As soft as a baby's bottom
As solid as a rock
As solid as the ground we stand on
As sound as a bell
As sour as vinegar
As steady as a rock
As sticky as jam
As stiff as a board
As still as death
As straight as an arrow
As strong as an ox
As stubborn as a mule
As sturdy as an oak
As sure as death and taxes
As sweet as honey
As tall as a giraffe
As tight as a drum
As thick as a brick
As thin as a rake
As thin as a toothpick
As timid as a rabbit
As tiny as a grain of sand
As tough as leather
As tough as nails
As tough as old boots
As tricky as a box of monkeys
As welcome as a skunk at a lawn party
As white as a ghost
As white as a sheet
As white as snow
As wise as Solomon
As wise as an owl
As agile as a monkey
As alike as two peas in a pod
As annoying as nails scratching against a chalkboard.
As bald as a baby's backside
As bald as a badger
As bald as a coot
As beautiful as nature
As big as a boat
As big as a bus
As big as an elephant
As black as a sweep
As black as coal
As black as one is painted
As black as pitch
As blind as a bat
As blind as a mole
meaning
identical or nearly so
as bald as a coot
completely bald
as big as a bus
very big
as big as an elephant
very big
as black as a sweep
completely black
comment
as black as coal
completely black
as black as pitch
completely black
as blind as a bat
completely blind
may be exaggeration
as blind as a mole
completely blind
may be exaggeration
as bold as brass
very bold
usually in a negative
sense
as brave as a lion
very brave
as bright as a button
very bright
as busy as a beaver
very busy
as busy as a bee
very busy
very busy
as calm as a millpond
as clear as a bell
very clear
of a sound
as clean as a whistle
very clean
as clear as crystal
very clear
as clear as mud
as cold as ice
very cold
as common as dirt
as cool as a cucumber
cool
as cunning as a fox
cunning
as dead as a doornail
dead
irony/sarcasm
dead, extinct
as deaf as a post
completely deaf
may be exaggeration
very different
as drunk as a lord
completely drunk
as dry as a bone
very dry
as dry as dust
very dry
as dull as dishwater
dull, boring
as easy as A.B.C.
very easy
as easy as apple-pie
very easy
as flat as a pancake
completely flat
as free as a bird
as fresh as a daisy
very fresh
as gentle as a lamb
very gentle
as good as gold
as happy as a lark
very happy
as hard as nails
of a person
as hot as hell
very hot
as hungry as a bear
very hungry
as hungry as a wolf
very hungry
as innocent as a lamb
as large as life
conspicuously present
as light as a feather
very light
as light as air
very light
as mad as a hatter
completely crazy
as mad as a hornet
very angry
as nutty as a fruitcake
completely crazy
as obstinate as a mule
as pale as death
as plain as day
very clear
poverty-stricken
as poor as dirt
poverty-stricken
as proud as a peacock
very proud
as pure as snow
as quick as a wink
very quick(ly)
as quick as lightning
very quick(ly)
as quick as silver
very quick
very quiet
as safe as houses
as sharp as a razor
very sharp
as sick as a dog
very sick
as sick as a parrot
very sick
completely silent
completely silent
as slippery as an eel
as slow as a snail
very slow
as slow as a tortoise
very slow
as smooth as silk
very smooth
as sober as a judge
sober
as solid as a rock
solid
of a person
very clear
as sour as vinegar
very sour
as steady as a rock
very steady
as stiff as a board
completely stiff
as straight as an arrow
straight
as strong as an ox
very strong
as stubborn as a mule
as sturdy as an oak
of a sound
as tall as a giraffe
very tall
as thin as a rake
very thin
as timid as a rabbit
very timid
as tough as leather
very tough
as tough as nails
very tough
very tough
as welcome as a skunk at a
lawn party
irony/sarcasm (skunks
stink)
as white as a ghost
as white as a sheet
pure white
as white as snow
pure white
as wise as Solomon
very wise
as wise as an owl
very wise
Similes
King Solomon