Idioms
What does it mean if someone says, "It's raining cats and dogs"?
It's raining very heavily.
One of me is a small enclosed room, typically in a prison or monastery. The other is to trade goods or services for money.
CELL / SELL
CHTEA
CHEAT (or TEACH)
What figure of speech uses "like" or "as" to compare two unlike things (e.g., "brave as a lion")?
Simile
If you "bite the bullet," what are you doing?
Enduring a difficult or unpleasant situation.
One of me is the part of the human body between the ribs and hips. The other is material that is no longer needed or useful.
WAIST / WASTE
LGEAN
ANGEL (or ANGLE)
What is the repetition of the same beginning consonant sound in a phrase (e.g., "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers")?
Alliteration
What does it mean to "let the cat out of the bag"?
To reveal a secret.
One of me is a passage between rows of seats, as in a church or theater. The other is a small, often tropical, landmass surrounded by water.
AISLE / ISLE
REDAR
DREAD
What figure of speech is a contradiction in terms, often forming two opposite ideas (e.g., "jumbo shrimp," "bittersweet")?
Oxymoron
If you "have a chip on your shoulder," what does that suggest about your attitude?
You are resentful or hold a grudge.
One of me is a line or sequence of people or vehicles awaiting their turn. The other is a signal for action or a line of dialogue.
QUEUE / CUE
ARMED
DREAM
What is the literary term for the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses?
Anaphora
What does it mean to "have your head in the clouds"?
To be daydreaming or out of touch with reality.
One of me is the roof of the mouth, or a person's sense of taste. The other is a thin board or tablet on which an artist arranges and mixes colors.
PALATE / PALETTE
DANGER
GARDEN
What is the figure of speech where a part is used to represent the whole, or the whole for a part (e.g., "all hands on deck" for sailors)?
Synecdoche