Dead Metaphor β Definition & Examples
What is a dead metaphor?
A dead metaphor is a figure of speech that describes when the figurative meaning of aΒ metaphorΒ shifts away from its original meaning. The metaphorical meaning becomes so familiar that the literal meaning is forgotten.
There are two reasons why a metaphor "dies:"
Repetition: After using a metaphor repetitively for an extended period, it loses the connection to its initial imagery. It becomes so common that it is understood without knowing the earlier connotation.
Semantic shift: Semantics deal with the meaning of words. Therefore, a dead metaphor occurs if the meaning of a word within it shifts over time.
Dead metaphors can also be called a frozen metaphor or a historical metaphor. The English language is always changing, so figurative language is too. The evolution of a language is responsible for dead metaphors.
Examples of dead metaphors
The following is a list of dead metaphors with their literal and figurative meanings:
Dead Metaphor | Literal Meaning | Figurative Meaning |
---|---|---|
Go belly up | What happens to a fish when it dies | Bankrupt; ruined |
Nip it in the bud | Snipping a flower before it has the chance to bloom | To stop something at an early stage |
Flying off the handle | Ax blade flung off its handle | Someone losing his/her sense of self-control |
Time is running out | The sand in the top of an hourglass was almost all in the bottom | There is not enough time to finish something |
Head over heels | Being the wrong way up (upside down; topsy turvy) | Being extremely excited |
Deadline | Inmates would be shot if they passed a certain line in the prison yard | Time limit |
Stick in the mud | Reference to a horse-drawn carriage being stuck in the mud | Person who resists change |
Roll up/down the window | Use the spinning lever below the window to open/close it | Close the window |
Hang up the phone | Disconnect the phone by putting it back on the receiver | End a phone call |