Context Clues
The restaurant was formal, so I bought a new suit. What does "formal" mean?
upscale, dressy
When attacked in his home, he will fight like a caged tiger.
Simile
I've told you a million times
hyperbole
Cheerleaders are a boisterous group. They spend a lot of time jumping and shouting to energize the players and the fans. What does "boisterous" mean?
loud, noisy, energetic
"April is the cruelest month.” —T.S. Eliot,
personification
Its raining cats and dogs
Idiom
The calm lake was a mirror.
Metaphor