Which phrase is a classic example of a metaphor?

Which phrase is a classic example of a metaphor?

• A. Heart of gold
• B. Raining cats and dogs
• C. The wind whispered
• D. A storm of opinions

Answer: (A)

Metaphor uses a direct comparison, saying one thing is another, to reveal a quality by implication. The phrase heart of gold does this work plainly: it equates a person’s character with gold, signaling kindness and value without claiming they are literally made of metal. It’s not framed as “like” or “as,” so it’s a true metaphor rather than a simile. By contrast, raining cats and dogs is an idiom describing heavy rain, not a direct comparison of two things. The wind whispered uses human action to describe nature, which is personification. A storm of opinions is also a metaphor, but it’s a broader, less direct image than the simple, classic metaphor of a heart of gold.

Metaphor uses a direct comparison, saying one thing is another, to reveal a quality by implication. The phrase heart of gold does this work plainly: it equates a person’s character with gold, signaling kindness and value without claiming they are literally made of metal. It’s not framed as “like” or “as,” so it’s a true metaphor rather than a simile. By contrast, raining cats and dogs is an idiom describing heavy rain, not a direct comparison of two things. The wind whispered uses human action to describe nature, which is personification. A storm of opinions is also a metaphor, but it’s a broader, less direct image than the simple, classic metaphor of a heart of gold.