ENGLISH
REFERENCE

simile

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate UK //sˈɪmɪlˌi// sim·i·le

n. a phrase that compares two different things using the words "like" or "as". Writers use this tool to make their descriptions more colorful and clear.

n. a figure of speech involving the explicit comparison of one thing with another of a different kind, typically introduced by the words "like" or "as". It serves to make a description more emphatic or vivid.


SIMPLE

"As brave as a lion" is a very common simile.

CONTEXTUAL

The author used a clever simile to describe the cold wind, comparing it to a sharp knife slicing through the trees.

COMPLEX

In his poetry, he frequently relies on the extended simile, drawing out a single comparison over several stanzas to heighten the emotional resonance of the scene.

Origin

From Latin simile (“comparison, likeness, parallel”) (first attested 1393), originally from simile, neuter form of similis (“like, similar, resembling”). Compare English similar.

Usage

Frequently collocates with verbs such as 'use', 'employ', or 'draw'.

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