Hyperbole

simile

a figure of speech that compares two things using "like" or "as." "She entered the room as quietly as a mouse" is an example. "Your smile is like the sunlight" is an example of a simile.

tall tale

a story that tells of events that are exaggerated or unlikely to be true. Classic ones involve the adventures of folk heroes. My great-grandmother told a lot of tall tales. I especially like her story about the time she wrestled a bear!

hyperbole

exaggeration or overstatement, not meant to be taken literally. "He was stronger than an ox" is an example of hyperbole because it is an obvious exaggeration.

literal

meaning exactly what it says; without metaphor or embellishment. I said that we were "in the same boat," but I didn't mean it in a literal sense. I just meant that we were in the same situation.

urgent

needing fast action or attention. My boss said that the client's email was urgent and that I should answer it within the hour.

figurative

not meant literally; metaphorical. I meant that in the figurative sense; I didn't think you would take it so literally!

emphasize

to give special attention to; to stress. To emphasize her point, the writer underlined the most important phrase.

exaggerate

to say that something is more than it really is; to overstate. A shadow can exaggerate the size of a tiny ant, making it seem ten times larger than it actually is.

convey

to transmit information or transport something. Tyler tried to convey his feelings of frustration in the lyrics that he wrote.