Question

figurative When the poet says he's been living in the desert, it's a figurative reference to his emotional life. ˈfɪgjərətɪv

Accepted Answer

(1) Representing form or figure in art. (2) Saying one thing in terms normally meaning or describing another thing. Words and phrases can have both literal and figurative meanings, and we all use words with both kinds of meanings every day of our lives. We can literally close the door to a room, or we can figuratively close the door to further negotiations—that is, refuse to take part in them. Figurative language includes figures of speech, such as similes (“she's been like a sister to me”) and metaphors (“a storm of protest”). And sometimes it's hard to tell whether a phrase is literal or figurative: If I say I “picked up” a little Spanish in Mexico, is that literal or figurative? You've probably noticed that lots of the definitions in this book show both a literal meaning (often something physical) and a figurative meaning (often nonphysical).

word	figurative
definition	(1) Representing form or figure in art. (2) Saying one thing in terms normally meaning or describing another thing.
eg_sentence	When the poet says he's been living in the desert, it's a figurative reference to his emotional life.
explanation	Words and phrases can have both literal and figurative meanings, and we all use words with both kinds of meanings every day of our lives. We can literally close the door to a room, or we can figuratively close the door to further negotiations—that is, refuse to take part in them. Figurative language includes figures of speech, such as similes (“she's been like a sister to me”) and metaphors (“a storm of protest”). And sometimes it's hard to tell whether a phrase is literal or figurative: If I say I “picked up” a little Spanish in Mexico, is that literal or figurative? You've probably noticed that lots of the definitions in this book show both a literal meaning (often something physical) and a figurative meaning (often nonphysical).
IPA	ˈfɪgjərətɪv

Figurative Literal Meaning Words Close Door I Representing