A "figure of speech" is a word or phrase not used literally, such as metaphor, hyperbole, euphemism, etc.
According to the Wikipedia "figure of speech" article:
A figure of speech is figurative language in the form of a single word or phrase. It can be a special repetition, arrangement or omission of words with literal meaning, or a phrase with a specialized meaning not based on the literal meaning of the words. There are mainly five figures of speech: simile, metaphor, hyperbole, personification and synecdoche.
There are many more sub-species than these five "main" types, and these are conveniently listed at the end of the article.
Example questions
- Did Ruth uncover Boaz' feet, or something else?
- What does "Under the Sun" mean in Ecclesiastes?
- What does 'Salt of the Earth' mean?
- What is the meaning of "heap burning coals on his head"?
Further reading
- Wikipedia: Figure of speech
- MIT Encyclopedia of the Cognitive Sciences: Figurative Language
- Rob Bradshaw, "Figures of Speech in the Bible"
