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figure of speech

figure of speech, intentional departure from straight-forward, literal use of language for the purpose of clarity, emphasis, or freshness of expression. See separate articles on antithesis; apostrophe; conceit; hyperbole; irony; litotes; metaphor; metonymy; paradox; personification; simile; and synecdoche.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

More on figure of speech from Infoplease:

figure of speech: meaning and definitions - figure of speech: Definition and Pronunciation
apostrophe, figure of speech - apostrophe apostrophe, figure of speech in which an absent person, a personified inanimate being, ...
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Glossary of Poetry Terms for Writing & Reading Poems - Glossary of Poetry Terms This index of common poetry terms—from alliteration to ...
simile: meaning and definitions - simile: Definition and Pronunciation

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Literature: General

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