A metaphor is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things by stating that one is the other, without using "like" or "as". It creates an implicit comparison that often reveals a surprising or illuminating similarity.

For example, "Time is a thief" treats time as a thief, suggesting it steals moments and youth. Metaphors can be extended throughout a work, as in Shakespeare's "All the world's a stage". They are central to poetry, rhetoric, and everyday language, shaping how we think and communicate.

Key points

• Direct comparison without like or as
• Creates implicit meaning
• Can be extended throughout a text
• Common in poetry and rhetoric