figure of speech

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figure of speech (plural figures of speech)

1. (rhetoric, stylistic) A word or phrase that intentionally deviates from ordinary language use to produce a rhetorical effect.

   Hyponyms: see Thesaurus:figure of speech

2. (loosely) A turn of phrase that is not intended to be interpreted literally, but is used solely as a rhetorical device for the purpose of facilitating effective and nuanced communication.

   I hope you didn't take it the wrong way, that was a figure of speech.

• “figure of speech”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “figure of speech”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.
• “figure of speech” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.