Simile


A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two things. Similes differ from metaphors by highlighting the similarities between two things using words such as "like", "as", or "than", while metaphors create an implicit comparison. This distinction is evident in the etymology of the words: simile derives from the Latin word simile, while metaphor derives from the Greek word metaphor in. While similes are mainly used in forms of poetry that compare the inanimate and the living, there are also terms in which similes are used for humorous purposes and comparison

Uses

In literature

::As when a prowling Wolf,
  • Similes are commonly used in the New Testament to describe the unseen or unknowable by relating it to something familiar to the reader.

    In comedy

Similes are used extensively in British comedy, notably in the slapstick era of the 1960s and 1970s. In comedy, the simile is often used in negative style: "he was as daft as a brush." They are also used in comedic context where a sensitive subject is broached, and the comedian will test the audience with response to subtle implicit simile before going deeper. The sitcom Blackadder featured the use of extended similes, normally said by the title character. For example:

In languages other than English

Given that similes emphasize affinities between different objects, they occur in many cultures and languages.

Arabic

discussed Arabic similes in 1805: .

Vietnamese

Thuy Nga Nguyen and Ghil'ad Zuckermann classify Vietnamese similes into two types: Meaning Similes and Rhyming Similes.
The following is an example:
Nghèo như con mèo
/ŋɛu ɲɯ kɔn mɛu/
"Poor as a cat"
Whereas the above Vietnamese example is of a rhyming simile, the English simile " poor as a church mouse" is only a semantic simile.