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Concealed figure

Device
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A figurative expression whose comparative basis is deliberately disguised or understated within the text

Detailed Definition
Concealed figure is a rhetorical or poetic device in which a metaphor, simile, or other figurative comparison is embedded so subtly within literal description that it remains unspoken yet perceptible through implication; unlike overt figures of speech, it relies on contextual cues, diction, or imagery to suggest the analogy indirectly—such as describing a ruler as “the keystone of the realm” without explicitly calling them a stone—thereby inviting deeper interpretive engagement while maintaining surface realism.
Example
Example in poetry:
An implied allusion to a historical person without naming them; Clues pointing to a mythic hero hidden in description; Visual imagery suggesting a famous landmark without direct mention; Symbolic representation of a known figure
Additional Notes
Reference to a person/figure concealed through allusion or imagery; engages reader’s interpretive skills.
Also Known As
Veiled trope Latent figure Covert metaphor Hidden rhetorical device Hypocatastasis
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