| A | B |
|---|
| cliche' | a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought |
| idiom | a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words e.g. over the moon, see the light |
| irony | the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect |
| metaphor | a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable |
| onomatopoeia | the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named e.g. cuckoo, sizzle |
| personification | the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something non-human, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form |
| pun | a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words which sound alike but have different meanings |
| rhetorical | (of a question) asked in order to produce an effect or to make a statement rather than to elicit information |
| simile | a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid e.g. as brave as a lion |
| pinprick | a very small dot or amount |
| rumor | a currently circulating story or report of uncertain or doubtful truth |
| amuse | cause someone to find something funny |
| device | a method that is used to produce a desired effect |
| slap | hit or strike with the palm of the hand or a flat object |
| subtle | making use of clever and indirect methods to achieve something |
