Linguistics

The study of language structure, meaning, and use — a primary source of metaphor theory from Lakoff and beyond.

Entries (382)

A Force Is a Moving Object metaphor
A Problem Is a Body of Water metaphor
A Problem Is a Locked Container for Its Solution metaphor
A Problem Is a Region in a Landscape metaphor
A Schedule Is a Moving Object metaphor
Abilities Are Entities Inside A Person metaphor
Above Board metaphor
Acting Compulsively Is Ingesting A Substance Compulsively metaphor
Acting On Is Transferring An Object metaphor
Action Is Control Over Possessions metaphor
Action Is Motion metaphor
Actions Are Self-Propelled Motions metaphor
Active Is Alive metaphor
Activities Are Containers metaphor
Affection Is Warmth metaphor
An Instrument Is a Companion metaphor
Anger Is a Heated Fluid in a Container metaphor
Anger Is Heat metaphor
Animals Are Moral Agents metaphor
Applause Line metaphor
Argument Is a Building metaphor
Argument Is a Container metaphor
Argument Is a Journey metaphor
Argument Is Dance metaphor
Argument Is War metaphor
Aspects Of The Self Are Distinct Individuals metaphor
At Loggerheads metaphor
Attributes Are Entities metaphor
Authority Is Height metaphor
Bad Is Stinky metaphor
Bankrupt metaphor
Batten Down the Hatches metaphor
Beauty Is a Flower metaphor
Beliefs Are Beings with a Life Cycle metaphor
Beliefs Are Fashions metaphor
Beliefs Are Guides metaphor
Beliefs Are Locations metaphor
Beliefs Are Love Objects metaphor
Beliefs Are Possessions metaphor
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea metaphor
Bitter End metaphor
Brand metaphor
Broadcast metaphor
Bug metaphor
By and Large metaphor
Callback metaphor
Capital metaphor
Categories Are Containers metaphor
Causal Precedence Is Temporal Precedence metaphor
Causation Is Commercial Transaction metaphor
Causation Is Control Over An Entity Relative To A Location metaphor
Causation Is Control Over An Object Relative To A Possessor metaphor
Causation Is Control Over Relative Location metaphor
Causes And Effects Are Linked Objects metaphor
Causes Are Forces metaphor
Change Is Motion metaphor
Change Is Replacement metaphor
Change Of State Is Change Of Direction metaphor
Cleverness Is Quickness metaphor
Cloud metaphor
Coherent Is Aligned metaphor
Coherent Is Whole metaphor
Communication Is Linguistic Communication metaphor
Communication Is Sending metaphor
Companion metaphor
Comparing And Seeking Is Shopping metaphor
Comparison of Properties Is Comparison of Physical Properties metaphor
Comparison of Properties Is Comparison of Possessions metaphor
Competition Is 1-on-1 Physical Aggression metaphor
Competition Is a Race metaphor
Competition Is Competition for Desired Objects metaphor
Competition Is War metaphor
Compliance Is Adherence metaphor
Compliance Is Following metaphor
Compliance Is Tightness metaphor
Computer Mouse metaphor
Conceit Is Inflation metaphor
Conducting Research Is Solving a Puzzle metaphor
Conscious Is Up; Unconscious Is Down metaphor
Cookie metaphor
Copper-Bottomed metaphor
Courage Is Strength metaphor
Creating Is Birthing metaphor
Creating Is Giving an Object metaphor
Creating Is Making metaphor
Creating Is Making Visible metaphor
Creating Is Moving To A Location metaphor
Creation Is Cultivation metaphor
Cut and Run metaphor
Daemon metaphor
Daemon Is a Background Spirit metaphor
Dangerous Beliefs Are Contagious Diseases metaphor
Darkness Is a Cover metaphor
Darkness Is a Solid metaphor
Dashboard metaphor
Data Stream metaphor
Dead in the Water metaphor
Deadline metaphor
Death Is a Journey metaphor
Death Is Departure metaphor
Decision Is a Path metaphor
Deep Roots Are Not Reached by Frost metaphor
Desire Is Hunger metaphor
Desires Are Forces Between the Desired and the Desirer metaphor
Difficult Subjects Are Adversaries metaphor
Difficulties Are Burdens metaphor
Difficulties Are Containers metaphor
Difficulties Are Impediments to Motion metaphor
Difficulty Is Moving metaphor
Difficulty Is Weight metaphor
Disgust Is Nausea metaphor
Disparity Is Change metaphor
Don't Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch metaphor
Don't Let the Fox Guard the Henhouse metaphor
Don't Put All Your Eggs in One Basket metaphor
Dovetail metaphor
Effect on Emotional Self Is Contact with Physical Self metaphor
Effects of Humor Are Injuries metaphor
Eighty-Six metaphor
Emotion Is Motion metaphor
Emotional Intimacy Is Physical Closeness metaphor
Emotional Self Is A Brittle Object metaphor
Emotional Stability Is Balance metaphor
Emotional Stability Is Contact with the Ground metaphor
Emotional Stability Is Maintaining Position metaphor
Emotions Are Entities Within A Person metaphor
Emotions Are Forces metaphor
Emotions Are Locations metaphor
Emotions Are Weather metaphor
Euphoric States Are Up metaphor
Even Keel metaphor
Event Structure (Location Case) metaphor
Existence Is A Location metaphor
Existence Is An Object metaphor
Existence Is Having A Form metaphor
Existence Is Life metaphor
Existence Is Visibility metaphor
External Appearance Is A Cover metaphor
External Conditions Are Climate metaphor
External Events Affecting Progress Are Forces Affecting metaphor
Facts Are Points metaphor
Fathom metaphor
Fear Is Cold metaphor
Finished Is Up metaphor
First-Rate metaphor
Flagship metaphor
Force Is a Substance Contained in Affecting Causes metaphor
Force Is a Substance Directed at an Affected Party metaphor
Foreseeable Future Events Are Up (and Ahead) metaphor
Form Is Motion metaphor
Framework metaphor
Gaining Physical Intimacy (Against Resistance) Is a Competition metaphor
Getting Is Eating metaphor
Give Wide Berth metaphor
Good Is Up; Bad Is Down metaphor
Grok metaphor
Grok Is Deep Understanding metaphor
Groundswell metaphor
Hand Over Fist metaphor
Happy Is Up; Sad Is Down metaphor
Harm Is a Thorn metaphor
Harm Is Being in a Harmful Location metaphor
Harm Is Causing Functional Objects to Be Nonfunctional metaphor
Harm Is Having a Harmful Possession metaphor
Harm Is Lacking a Needed Possession metaphor
Harm Is Physical Injury metaphor
Harm Is Preventing Forward Motion Toward a Goal metaphor
Harming Is Lowering metaphor
Having Control Is Up; Being Subject To Control Is Down metaphor
Health Is Up; Sickness Is Down metaphor
Help Is Support metaphor
High and Dry metaphor
Hit the Nail on the Head metaphor
Hope Is a Beneficial Possession metaphor
Hope Is a Child metaphor
Hope Is Light metaphor
Ideas Are Children metaphor
Ideas Are Commodities metaphor
Ideas Are Cutting Instruments metaphor
Ideas Are Fashions metaphor
Ideas Are Food metaphor
Ideas Are Light-Sources metaphor
Ideas Are Locations metaphor
Ideas Are Money metaphor
Ideas Are Objects metaphor
Ideas Are People metaphor
Ideas Are Perceptions metaphor
Ideas Are Plants metaphor
Ideas Are Products metaphor
Ideas Are Resources metaphor
Ideas Are Writing metaphor
Idols of the Marketplace mental-model
Illness Is an Invader metaphor
Importance Is Size metaphor
In the Doldrums metaphor
In the Offing metaphor
Inflation Is an Entity metaphor
Intelligence Is a Light Source metaphor
Intense Emotions Are Heat metaphor
Interaction Between Progress and External Events Affecting metaphor
Interpersonal Harmony Is Musical Harmony metaphor
Intimacy Is Closeness metaphor
Intoxication Is Becoming Electrified metaphor
Intoxication Is Getting A Burden metaphor
Intoxication Is Getting Destroyed metaphor
Investments Are Containers For Money metaphor
Jury-Rigged metaphor
Keelhauled metaphor
Kernel metaphor
Know the Ropes metaphor
Knowing Is Seeing metaphor
Knowledge of Past Events Is an External Event Exerting Force On metaphor
Labor Is a Resource metaphor
Laughter Is a Substance metaphor
Laying Pipe metaphor
Leeway metaphor
Life Is a Container metaphor
Life Is a Gambling Game metaphor
Life Is a Journey metaphor
Life Is a Performance metaphor
Life Is a Story metaphor
Light Is A Fluid metaphor
Light Is A Line metaphor
Linear Scales Are Paths metaphor
Load-Bearing Pun metaphor
Logic Is Gravity metaphor
Logical Relations Are Causal Relations metaphor
Long-Term Purposeful Activity Is a Journey metaphor
Long-Term Purposeful Change Is a Journey metaphor
Loose Cannon metaphor
Love Is a Collaborative Work of Art metaphor
Love Is A Journey metaphor
Love Is a Patient metaphor
Love Is a Physical Force metaphor
Love Is a Unity metaphor
Love Is Madness metaphor
Love Is Magic metaphor
Love Is War metaphor
Loved One Is A Possession metaphor
Lust Is Heat metaphor
Lustful Person Is an Activated Machine metaphor
Lustful Person Is an Animal metaphor
Machines Are People metaphor
Mainstay metaphor
Make Hay While the Sun Shines metaphor
Means of Change Is Path over Which Motion Occurs metaphor
Mental Accounting metaphor
Mental Health Is Physical Health metaphor
Money Is A Liquid metaphor
Moral Accounting metaphor
Morality Is Accounting metaphor
Morality Is Cleanliness metaphor
Morality Is Purity metaphor
Morality Is Straightness metaphor
Morality Is War metaphor
More Is Up; Less Is Down metaphor
Muscle metaphor
Nail It metaphor
Nation Is a Family metaphor
Nation Is a Person metaphor
Necessary Prerequisite for Change Is Source of Moving Entity metaphor
Needle in a Haystack metaphor
Newspeak Is Thought Control metaphor
Obligations Are Containers metaphor
Obligations Are Forces metaphor
Obligations Are Possessions metaphor
Opportunities Are Objects metaphor
Opportunities Are Open Paths metaphor
Organization Is Physical Structure metaphor
Over a Barrel metaphor
Panning for Gold metaphor
Patch metaphor
People Are Batteries metaphor
People Are Machines metaphor
People Are Plants metaphor
Perception Is Reception metaphor
Perception Is Shape Recognition metaphor
Personality Is Material metaphor
Pipeline metaphor
Plain Sailing metaphor
Plane It Smooth metaphor
Platform metaphor
Polished metaphor
Possessing Is Holding metaphor
Problem Is a Constructed Object metaphor
Problem Is a Tangle metaphor
Problem Is A Target metaphor
Problems Are Puzzles metaphor
Process Trap metaphor
Properties Are Contents metaphor
Properties Are Physical Properties metaphor
Properties Are Possessions metaphor
Prosperity Is Plant Growth metaphor
Psychological Forces Are Physical Forces metaphor
Psychological States Are Warfare metaphor
Purposes Are Desired Objects metaphor
Purposes Are Destinations metaphor
Rational Is Up; Emotional Is Down metaphor
Receiving Serious Thought Is Being On The Mind metaphor
Red Herring metaphor
Red Tape metaphor
Relationship Is Kinship metaphor
Relationships Are Enclosures metaphor
Responsibilities Are Possessions metaphor
Robot Is Artificial Worker metaphor
Running Out of Steam metaphor
Sailing Close to the Wind metaphor
Salary metaphor
Scuttlebutt metaphor
Seeing Is Touching metaphor
Seeing Is Touching, Eyes Are Limbs metaphor
Self-Initiated Change Of State Is Self-Propelled Motion metaphor
Separate the Wheat from the Chaff metaphor
Sexuality Is An Offensive Weapon metaphor
Shapes Are Containers metaphor
Shell metaphor
Shot across the Bow metaphor
Showing True Colors metaphor
Significant Is Big metaphor
Silo metaphor
Similarity Is Closeness metaphor
Social Accounting metaphor
Social Conflict Is War metaphor
Society Is a Body metaphor
Spam metaphor
Stakeholder metaphor
States Are Locations metaphor
States Are Shapes metaphor
Status Is Up; Lack Of Status Is Down metaphor
Stock metaphor
Strong Emotion Is Blinding metaphor
Strong Emotions Are Madness metaphor
Subjects Are Areas metaphor
Take the Wind out of Someone's Sails metaphor
Taken Aback metaphor
The Body Is a Container for the Self metaphor
The Conduit Metaphor metaphor
The Event Structure Metaphorical System metaphor
The Exception Proves the Rule metaphor
The Great Chain of Being archetype
The Interpreter Pattern archetype
The Mind Is a Body metaphor
The Mind Is A Brittle Object metaphor
The Mind Is A Machine metaphor
The Progress of External Events Is Forward Motion metaphor
The Visual Field Is A Bounded Region metaphor
The Visual Field Is A Container metaphor
Theoretical Debate Is Competition metaphor
Theories Are Beings with Life Cycles metaphor
Theories Are Buildings metaphor
Theories Are Cloth metaphor
Theories Are Constructed Objects metaphor
Theories Are Covers for the Facts metaphor
Theories Are People metaphor
Three Sheets to the Wind metaphor
Till the Cows Come Home metaphor
Time Is a Changer metaphor
Time Is a Container metaphor
Time Is a Landscape We Move Through metaphor
Time Is a Limited Resource metaphor
Time Is a Moving Object metaphor
Time Is a Pursuer metaphor
Time Is a Resource metaphor
Time Is Money metaphor
Time Is Motion metaphor
Time Is Movement metaphor
Time Is Stationary and We Move Through It metaphor
Trade Is Slaughter metaphor
Treating Illness Is Fighting a War metaphor
Try a Different Tack metaphor
Understanding Is Grasping metaphor
Understanding Is Seeing metaphor
Unknown Is Up; Known Is Down metaphor
Virtue Is Up; Depravity Is Down metaphor
Virus metaphor
Web metaphor
Well-Being Is Wealth metaphor
When Pigs Fly metaphor
Window metaphor
Words Are Weapons metaphor
You Can't Plow a Field by Turning It Over in Your Mind metaphor
You Reap What You Sow metaphor