Figure of Speech

A figure of speech is an expression whose words are not used in their literal meaning.

  • He has a few skeletons in the cupboard.
    (He doesn’t literally have skeletons in his cupboard. It means he has a few secrets.)
  • I have a million things to do.
    (I have many things on my to do list. Not literally a million.)
  • You are driving me up the wall.
    (It means you are annoying me.)