Figures of speech (修辞)are ways of making our language figurative. When we use words in other than their ordinary or literal sense to lend force to an idea, to heighten effect, or to create suggestive imagery, we are said to be speaking or writing figuratively. Now we are going to talk about some common forms of figures of speech. 1) Simile：(明喻）It is a figure of speech which makes a comparison between two unlike elements having at least one quality or characteristic (特性)in common. To make the comparison, words like as, as...as, as if and like are used to transfer the quality we associate with one to the other. For example, As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
2) Metaphor：(暗喻）It is like a simile, also makes a comparison between two unlike elements, but unlike a simile, this comparison is implied rather than stated. For example, the world is a stage.
3) Analogy: (类比）It is also a form of comparison, but unlike simile or metaphor which usually uses comparison on one point of resemblance, analogy draws a parallel between two unlike things that have several common qualities or points of resemblance.
4) Personification: (拟人）It gives human form of feelings to animals, or life and personal attributes(赋予) to inanimate(无生命的) objects, or to ideas and abstractions(抽象). For example, the wind whistled through the trees.
5) Hyperbole: (夸张） It is the deliberate use of overstatement or exaggeration to achieve emphasis. For instance, he almost died laughing.
6) Understatement: (含蓄陈述） It is the opposite of hyperbole, or overstatement. It achieves its effect of emphasizing a fact by deliberately(故意地) understating it, impressing the listener or the reader more by what is merely implied or left unsaid than by bare statement. For instance, It is no laughing matter.
7) Euphemism: (委婉） It is the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive(无冒犯) expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant. For instance, we refer to \
8) Metonymy (转喻） It is a figure of speech that has to do with the substitution of the mane of one thing for that of another. For instance, the pen (words) is mightier than the sword (forces).
9) Synecdoche (提喻） It is involves the substitution of the part for the whole, or the whole for the part. For instance, they say there's bread and work for all. She was dressed in silks. 10) Antonomasia (换喻）It has also to do with substitution. It is not often mentioned
now, though it is still in frequent use. For example, Solomon for a wise man. Daniel for a wise and fair judge. Judas for a traitor.
11) Pun: (双关语） It is a play on words, or rather a play on the form and meaning of words. For instance, a cannon-ball took off his legs, so he laid down his arms. (Here \
12) Syllepsis: (一语双叙） It has two connotations.
In the first case, it is a figure by which a word, or a particular form or inflection of a word, refers to two or more words in the same sentence, while properly applying to or agreeing with only on of them in grammar or syntax(句法). For example, He addressed you and me, and desired us to follow him. (Here us is used to refer to you and me.) In the second case, it a word may refer to two or more words in the same sentence. For example, while he was fighting , and losing limb and mind, and dying, others stayed behind to pursue education and career. (Here to losing one's limbs in literal; to lose one's mind is figurative, and means to go mad.)
13) Zeugma: (轭式搭配） It is a single word which is made to modify or to govern two or more words in the same sentence, wither properly applying in sense to only one of them, or applying to them in different senses. For example, The sun shall not burn you by day, nor the moon by night. (Here noon is not strong enough to burn)
14) Irony: (反语） It is a figure of speech that achieves emphasis by saying the opposite of what is meant, the intended meaning of the words being the opposite of their usual sense. For instance, we are lucky, what you said makes me feel real good.
15) Innuendo: (暗讽） It is a mild form of irony, hinting in a rather roundabout (曲折)way at something disparaging(不一致) or uncomplimentary(不赞美) to the person or subject mentioned. For example, the weatherman said it would be worm. He must take his readings in a bathroom.
16) Sarcasm: (讽刺） It Sarcasm is a strong form of irony. It attacks in a taunting and bitter manner, and its aim is to disparage, ridicule and wound the feelings of the subject attacked. For example, laws are like cobwebs, which may catch small flies, but let wasps break through.
17) Paradox: (似非而是的隽语） It is a figure of speech consisting of a statement or proposition which on the face of it seems self-contradictory, absurd or contrary to established fact or practice, but which on further thinking and study may prove to be true, well-founded, and even to contain a succinct point. For example more haste, less speed.
18) Oxymoron: (矛盾修饰） It is a compressed paradox, formed by the conjoining(结合) of two contrasting, contradictory or incongruous(不协调) terms as in bitter-sweet memories, orderly chaos(混乱) and proud humility(侮辱).
19) Antithesis: (对照） It is the deliberate arrangement of contrasting words or ideas in balanced structural forms to achieve emphasis. For example, speech is silver; silence is golden.
20) Epigram: (警句） It states a simple truth pithily(有利地) and pungently(强烈地). It is usually terse and arouses interest and surprise by its deep insight into certain aspects of human behavior or feeling. For instance, Few, save the poor, feel for the poor.
21) Climax: (渐进） It is derived from the Greek word for \implies the progression of thought at a uniform or almost uniform rate of significance or intensity, like the steps of a ladder ascending evenly. For example, I came, I saw, I conquered.
22) Anti-climax or bathos: (突降）It is the opposite of Climax. It involves stating one's thoughts in a descending order of significance or intensity, from strong to weak, from weighty to light or frivolous. For instance, But thousands die, without or this or that, die, and endow(赋予) a college, or a cat.
23) Apostrophe： (顿呼） In this figure of speech, a thing, place, idea or person (dead or absent) is addressed as if present, listening and understanding what is being said. For instance, England! awake! awake! awake!
24) Transferred Epithet: (转类形容词） It is a figure of speech where an epithet (an adjective or descriptive phrase) is transferred from the noun it should rightly modify(修饰) to another to which it does not really apply or belong. For instance, I spent sleepless nights on my project.
25) Alliteration: (头韵） It has to do with the sound rather than the sense of words for effect. It is a device that repeats the same sound at frequent intervals(间隔) and since the sound repeated is usually the initial consonant sound, it is also called \the fair breeze blew, the white foam flew, the furrow followed free.
26) Onomatopoeia: (拟声） It is a device that uses words which imitate the sounds made by an object (animate or inanimate), or which are associated with or suggestive(提示的) of some action or movement.
英语中所有19种修辞手法的全部解释和例句来源： 张震的日志
1.Simile 明喻
明喻是将具有共性的不同事物作对比.这种共性存在于人们的心里,而不是事物的自然属性.
标志词常用 like, as, seem, as if, as though, similar to, such as等. 例如:
1>.He was like a cock who thought the sun had risen to hear him crow. 2>.I wandered lonely as a cloud.
3>.Einstein only had a blanket on, as if he had just walked out of a fairy tale. 2.Metaphor 隐喻,暗喻
隐喻是简缩了的明喻,是将某一事物的名称用于另一事物,通过比较形成. 例如:
1>.Hope is a good breakfast, but it is a bad supper.
2>.Some books are to be tasted, others swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.
3.Metonymy 借喻,转喻
借喻不直接说出所要说的事物,而使用另一个与之相关的事物名称. I.以容器代替内容,例如: 1>.The kettle boils. 水开了.
2>.The room sat silent. 全屋人安静地坐着. II.以资料.工具代替事物的名称,例如: Lend me your ears, please. 请听我说. III.以作者代替作品,例如:
a complete Shakespeare 莎士比亚全集 VI.以具体事物代替抽象概念,例如:
I had the muscle, and they made money out of it. 我有力气,他们就用我的力气赚钱.
4.Synecdoche 提喻
提喻用部分代替全体,或用全体代替部分,或特殊代替一般. 例如:
1>.There are about 100 hands working in his factory.(部分代整体) 他的厂里约有100名工人.
2>.He is the Newton of this century.(特殊代一般) 他是本世纪的牛顿.
3>.The fox goes very well with your cap.（整体代部分） 这狐皮围脖与你的帽子很相配.
5.Synaesthesia 通感,联觉,移觉
这种修辞法是以视.听.触.嗅.味等感觉直接描写事物.通感就是把不同感官的感觉沟通起来，借联想引起感觉转移，“以感觉写感觉”。
通感技巧的运用，能突破语言的局限，丰富表情达意的审美情趣，起到增强文采的艺术效果。比如：欣赏建筑的重复与变化的样式会联想到音乐的重复与变化的节奏；闻到酸的东西会联想到尖锐的物体；听到飘渺轻柔的音乐会联想到薄薄的半透明的纱子；又比如朱自清《荷塘月色》里的“ 微风过处送来缕缕清香,仿佛远处高楼上渺茫的歌声似的”。 例如:
1>.The birds sat upon a tree and poured forth their lily like voice.（用视觉形容听觉，鸟落在树上，由它发出的声音联想到百合花） 鸟儿落在树上,倾泻出百合花似的声音.
2>.Taste the music of Mozart.（用嗅觉形容听觉） 品尝Mozart的音乐.
6.Personification 拟人
拟人是把生命赋予无生命的事物. 例如:
1>.The night gently lays her hand at our fevered heads.（把夜拟人化） 2>.I was very happy and could hear the birds singing in the woods.（把鸟拟人化）
7.Hyperbole 夸张
夸张是以言过其实的说法表达强调的目的.它可以加强语势,增加表达效果.. 例如:
1>.I beg a thousand pardons.
2>.Love you. You are the whole world to me, and the moon and the stars. 3>.When she heard the bad news, a river of tears poured out.
英语常见Figures of speech
