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Metaphor (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠executed as a cross-domain mapping from a metaphorical source domain (such as 'war') to a target domain to which it the metaphor is to be applied, such as ('argumentation').

Definition.com

Metaphor (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not only for poets and, consequently, it is not peripheral to the language of the mind... it is the principal way of conceptualizing abstract terms like death, life, time and, therefore, it is central to our understanding of our selves, our culture, and the world.

Definition.com

Metaphor (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not only poetic device: It is an important means enabling us to structure and organize our cognition and knowledge.

Definition.com

Metaphor (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not solely a matter of language but concerns 'the way we conceptualize one mental domain in terms of another.

Definition.com

Metaphor (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠pervasive in everyday life, not just in language but also in thought and action.

Definition.com

Metaphor (n.) functions ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠as a basic conceptual device because it is grounded in experience.

Definition.com

Metaphor (n.) resides ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠for the most part in a huge, highly structured, fixed system, a system anything but 'dead'.

Definition.com

Metaphor (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠our only access to some thoughts. Much subject matter, from the most mundane to the most abstruse scientific theories, can only be comprehended via metaphor.

Definition.com

Metaphor (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the fundamental sttructure of our ordinary conceptual system, in terms of which we both think and act.

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