FIGURE OF SPEECH

 
Definition: A figure of speech is a word or phrase using figurative language—language that
has other meaning than its normal definition. In other words, figures of speeches rely on
implied or suggested meaning, rather than a dictionary definition. We express and develop
them through hundreds of different techniques, from specific types like metaphors and
similes, to more general forms like sarcasm and symbolism etc.

Figures of speech make up a huge portion of the English language, making it more creative,
more expressive, and just more interesting! TYPES OF FIGURE OF SPEECH:
1. Antithesis
 Anti-opposite, Thesis-thoughts or ideas
 When two words with opposite ideas are joined by conjunction, it will always be
1. United we stand, divided we fall.
2. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
3. While targeting the goals of life, he met with triumph and disaster.
4. Man proposes, God disposes." - Source unknown.
5. "Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing." - Goethe.
6. "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." - Neil Armstrong.
7. "To err is human; to forgive divine." -  Alexander Pope.
8. "Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice." - William Shakespeare.
9. "Many are called, but few are chosen."
 
2. Oxymoron
 It is deliberate combination of two words that seem to mean the opposite of each other.
1. My life is an open secret.
2. She is the wisest fool.
3. Life is full of aching joys.
4. Act naturally.
5. Alone together.
6. Amazingly awful.
7. Bittersweet.
8. Clearly confused.
9. Dark light.
10. Deafening silence.
 
3. Simile
 It is a direct comparison between two different objects, things, etc. using ‘as’, ‘like’, ‘so’.
 1. 1.He is as brave as lion.
2. 2.The room is as hot as furnace.
3. 3.Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale.
4. You were as brave as a lion.
5. They fought like cats and dogs.
6. He is as funny as a barrel of monkeys.
7. This house is as clean as a whistle.
8. He is as strong as an ox.
9. Your explanation is as clear as mud.
10. Watching the show was like watching grass grow.

4. Metaphor
 A metaphor is a figure of speech in which two thing are treated as one while comparing
them. The words like ‘as’, ‘like’, ‘so’ are not used in metaphor.
1. He is a lion.
2. This room is a furnace.
3. Life is not a bed of roses.
4. He was a lion in the fight.
5. Tansen was called the chief jewel.
6. The snow is a white blanket.
7. He is a shining star.
8. Her long hair was a flowing golden river.
9. Tom's eyes were ice as he stared at her.
10. The children were flowers grown in concrete gardens.
11. Kisses are the flowers of affection.
12. The falling snowflakes are dancers.
13. The calm lake was a mirror.

 
5. Alliteration
 In this figure of speech ‘a letter’ is repeated.
 First letter of a word is repeated.
1. Four fools fell in a fountain.
2. Over the waiting waves, there is a warning
3. The black sky was blaring to burn blue.
4. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. ...
5. A good cook could cook as much cookies as a good cook who could cook cookies.
6. Black bug bit a big black bear. ...
 7. Sheep should sleep in a shed.
8. I saw a saw that could out saw any other saw I ever saw.

6. Repetition
 In this figure of speech a word, a phrase etc. is repeated.
1. Two and two make four.
2. No stir in the air, no stir in the sea.
3. So little they rose, so little they fell.
4. Ashes To Ashes, dust to dust (English Book of Common Prayer)
5. The sad truth is that the truth is sad. (Lemony Snicket)
6. The horror! The horror! (Heart of Darkness)
7. And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting (The Raven)
8. And that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish
from the earth (Gettysburg Address)
9. Captain! my Captain! (O Captain! My Captain!)
10. Think and wonder, wonder and think (Dr. Seuss)
11. Water, water everywhere, / Nor any drop to drink (The Rime of the Ancient Mariner)
12. Words, words, words (Hamlet)
13. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for
a lifetime.

7. Hyperbole
 Hyper-exaggerate, Bole-say/statement
 Hyperbole is an over-statement or exaggeration.
 In hyperbole a statement is made emphatic by overstatement.
1. She wept an ocean of tears.
2. Why man, if the river were dry I am able to fill it with tears.
3. I've told you to clean your room a million times!
4. It was so cold, I saw polar bears wearing hats and jackets.
5. She's so dumb, she thinks Taco Bell is a Mexican phone company.
6. I am so hungry I could eat a horse.
7. I have a million things to do today.
8. Euphemism
 When a sentence expresses an unpleasant event, idea, etc. in less unpleasant manner, it
is Euphemism.
1. He passed away. (dead)
2. After my departure, I shall always be remembered. (Death)

3. He’s big boned. — He’s fat.

4. She’s horizontally challenged.* — She’s fat, too.
5. He’s vertically challenged.* — He’s short.
6. She’s between jobs. — She’s unemployed.
7. She’s getting on. — She’s old.
8. He’s not the sharpest pencil in the box. — He’s kind of stupid. Not his fault — he just is.
9. He doesn’t suffer fools gladly. — He’s rude and can be pretty unkind.
10. She’s on the streets. — She’s homeless.

9. Onomatopoeia
 It is a figure of speech in which the sound suggests its sense and meaning. In this figure
of speech, sound plays the most important role.
1. The Aeroplane is zooming in the sky.
2. The open window shuts with a bang.
3. It’s time for jingle-tinkle.
4. The loose house sheet clatter and clang.

10. Personification
 Person-Person
 Fiction- Non-living/Not real
1. The roses are smiling and the wind was telling a fairy tale. (Roses have the human
activity of smiling and wind has the human action of telling a fairy tale.)
2. Dancing and whistling, the leaves went. (Dancing and whistling are human activities)
3. The cloud has a tongue of fire and flame. (Tongue-A part of human body)
4. Lightning danced across the sky.
5. The wind howled in the night.
6. The car complained as the key was roughly turned in its ignition.
7. Rita heard the last piece of pie calling her name.
8. My alarm clock yells at me to get out of bed every morning.
11. Transferred Epithet
 In this figure of speech human feeling is transferred to non-human or non-living thing or
inanimate object.
1. Devdutta shot a cruel arrow. (Devdutta’s cruelty is transferred to arrow.)
2. The night was sleepless for him. (His sleeplessness is transferred to the night)
3. Wide eyed amazement
4. Fatal sea shore
5. 'sleepless nights'
6. 'a wonderful day'
7. 'wide-eyed amazement'
8. 'He pointed an angry finger at me. '
9. 'She looked at him through concerned eyes. '

12. Apostrophe
 An apostrophe is a direct address to the dead, to the absent or to a personified object or
idea.
1. God! Please help me.
2. Liberty! What crimes have been committed in your name?
3. Life! I shall find you somewhere.
4. God! Guide us towards our destination.
5. Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are. ( ...
6. holy night! ...
7. Then come, sweet death, and rid me of this grief. ( ...
8. O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth. ( ...
9. Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean – roll! ( ...
10. Welcome, O life!

Definition of Eulogy

Known as homily, the term eulogy originates from the Greek word eulogia, which means “to
praise” somebody or something. A eulogy is a literary device that is a laudatory expression in a
speech, or a written tribute to a person recently deceased. We can say, it is a commendation or
high praise intended to give honor, generally to a dead family member or loved one, or it is a
tribute given to a dead person at his or her funeral.

 Son celebrates his mum.

 Traditional eulogy for dad.
 A mother for a young daughter.
 Tribute from husband to wife.
 A father farewells a teenage son.
 A wife to her husband.
 A daughter says farewell to her mum.
 A daughter celebrates her father.

Metonymy: a Stand-in for Other Words.

Metonymy is the use of a linked term to stand in for an object or concept. You'll find examples of
metonymy used frequently in both literature and everyday speech. You might use it yourself without
even realizing it.

Sometimes metonymy is chosen because it's a well-known characteristic of the concept. A famous
example is, "The pen is mightier than the sword," from Edward Bulwer Lytton's play Richelieu. This
sentence has two metonyms:

 "Pen" stands for "the written word."

 "Sword" stands for "military aggression."
Crown - in place of a royal person

1. We will swear loyalty to the crown.

2. The White House or The Oval Office - used in place of the President or White House staff

3. The White House will be making an announcement around noon today.

4. Suits - in place of business people

5. If we don't get these reports in today, the suits will be after us.

6. Heart - to refer to love or emotion

7. My dear, you have all of my heart.

8. Dish - for an entire plate of food

9. That fancy fish dish you made was the best of the evening.

10. Washington - to refer to the US government

11. After the protests, maybe Washington will listen to the voters.
12. The big house - to refer to prison

13. My brother was just released from the big house.

14. Silicon Valley - to refer to the tech industry

15. Silicon Valley is constantly pushing the boundaries in innovation.

16. Hollywood - to refer to the film industry

17. It seems like people will do whatever Hollywood says is cool.

18. Ears - for giving attention, listening

19. Tell me about your first date. I'm all ears!