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Concrete simile

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 simile employing tangible, physical imagery to express comparison

Detailed Definition
A concrete simile compares two tangible, sensory-rich entities using “like” or “as,” grounding metaphorical linkage in observable reality rather than abstract concepts; it enhances immediacy and vividness by anchoring comparison in the physical world (e.g., “her laugh was like shattering glass”).
Example
Example in poetry:
Concrete simile: “Her laugh like shattering glass”; “Mind as cluttered desk” (Plath); Original: “Grief like wet newspaper—sagging, ink-stained”
Additional Notes
Simile using concrete, specific comparisons. Example: "soft as silk." Creates immediate sensory connection. Contrast: abstract simile. Related to: concrete diction, imagery.
Also Known As
Physical simile tangible comparison material likeness embodied simile
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