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# figurative

adjective (figurative)

«figurative» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Used with a meaning different from the usual, word-for-word one, to make a picture in the mind: «a heart of gold» is figurative. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/figurative/#m1)
2. (art) Showing real people or things that you can recognise, not abstract shapes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/figurative/#m2)

### In the lessons

In English lessons «figurative language» means similes, metaphors, personification and idioms. It tells the reader not to take the words literally. Phrases: figurative language, figurative meaning, in a figurative sense.

### Examples

- «It's raining cats and dogs» is figurative language. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/figurative/#x1)
- Poets use figurative language to paint pictures with words. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/figurative/#x2)
- «He has a heart of stone» has a figurative meaning: he is unkind. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/figurative/#x3)
- The teacher asked us to find three figurative phrases in the poem. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/figurative/#x4)
- She paints figurative pictures of people at the beach. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/figurative/#x5)
- The figurative meaning of «break the ice» is to start a friendly chat. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/figurative/#x6)

### Note

Opposite: literal (the plain, word-for-word meaning). Adverb: figuratively. Related noun: figure of speech. A common trap: «I literally died laughing» is really figurative.

## In Jewish tradition

Interpretation: Commentators say that some words about God and the world, like "six dimensions" or "God's hand", are pictures and not to be taken literally. In the primary lessons: In English lessons «figurative language» means similes, metaphors, personification and idioms. It tells the reader not to take the words literally. Phrases: figurative language, figurative meaning, in a figurative sense.

### Examples

- 16) Judah Halevi in his book entitled "Kusari," p. 456, illustrates it thus: The Creator is one, and the space has in the figurative expression six dimensions. (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/figurative/#x1)

### Note

Opposite: literal (the plain, word-for-word meaning). Adverb: figuratively. Related noun: figure of speech. A common trap: «I literally died laughing» is really figurative.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «figurative» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/figurative/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«figurative» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/figurative.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «figurative» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/figurative/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«figurative» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/figurative.html) on Mova free.