@ 砺剑寻梅 A figure of speech is a rhetorical device that achieves a special effect by using words in distinctive ways.
Figurative language is often associated with literature, poetry and songs. But the fact is, whether we're conscious of it or not, we use figures of speech every day in our own writing and conversations.
For example, common expressions such as "falling in love," "racking our brains," "hitting a sales target," and "climbing the ladder of success" are all metaphors--the most pervasive figure of all. Likewise, we rely on similes when making explicit comparisons ("light as a feather") and hyperbole to emphasize a point ("I'm starving!"). You can probably think of others in your own language.