Tuesday 6 April 2021

EXAMPLES OF SIMILIES

A.

as active as quicksilver as angy as a wasp  

  as afraid as a grasshopper as far apart as the poles  

  as ageless as the sun as arid as the sands of Sahara  

  as agile as a cat ( a monkey ) as artificial as clockwork  

  as alert as chamois ( as a bird in springtime ) as artificial as made ice  

  as alike as two peas as audacious as the day  

  as alone as a leper as awful as justice  

  as alone as Crusoe as awful as thunder  

  as ambitious as Lady Macbeth as awkward as a cow on ice  

  as ancient as the sun ( the stars )    


B.

  as bad as the itch ( as a blight ) as blithe as May  

  as bald as a coot as blue as indigo ( as forget-me-nots )  

  as bald as a billiard ball as blunt as a hammer ( as the back of a knife )  

  as bald as an egg as boisterous as stormy sea winds  

  as bare as a stone ( as winter ) as bold as brass ( as a lion )  

  as barren as winter rain as boundless as the ocean  

  as bashful as a schoolgirl as bounteous as nature  

  as beautiful as the sunset ( as the rainbow ) as brainless as a chimpanzee  

  as big as an elephant ( as a whale ) as brave as a lion  

  as bitter as death as brave as Achilles  

  as bitter as hemlock as brief as time ( as a dream )  

  as bitter as wormwood as bright as a new penny ( as a new shilling )  

  as black as coal as bright as day ( as noonday )  

  as black as a crow ( as a raven ) as bright as the light ( as a lark )  

  as black as ebony ( as pitch, as a starless night, as ink, as soot ) as bright as silver  

  as black as pitch as bright as button  

  as black as a starless night as brilliant as a mirror  

  as black as sin as brilliant as the stars  

  as black as jet as brisk as a flea ( as a bailiff )  

  as black as a sloe as brisk as a butterfly  

  as blameless as the snow as brittle as glass  

  as blank as an empty bottle as broad as Heaven's expanse  

  as blink as a bat ( as ignorance ) as brown as a berry ( as a bun, as hazelnuts )  

  as blind as a beetle as brown as Mahogany  

  as blind as a mole as buoyant as wings  

  as blithe as a butterfly as busy as an ant  

      as busy as a bee ( as a nailer )

C.

  as calm as a cat as coarse as hemp ( as fustian )  

  as calm as a summer sea ( as glass, as death ) as cold as charity  

  as candid as mirrors as cold as a dog's nose ( as a frog, as a corpse )  

  as careless as the wind as cold as ice ( as marble, as a stone )  

  as cautious as a fox ( as a Scot ) as comfortable as coin  

  as certain as the rising of the morning sun ( as Christmas ) as common as pins ( as poverty, as dirt )  

  as changeable as the moon as complacent as a cat  

  as changeable as the weather ( as a weather cock ) as confident as Hercules ( as justice )  

  as chaste as Minerva ( as a lily ) as conscientious as a dog  

  as cheap as dirt ( as lies ) as consoling as night  

  as cheeky as a young bantam cock as contagious as a yawn  

  as cheerful as the birds ( as the day is long ) as contrary as black and white ( as light and darkness )  

  as cheerful as a lark as convincing as the multiplication table  

  as cheerless as the grave as cool as cucumber  

  as cheery as a sunbeam as costly as an election  

  as chill as death as cozy as the nest of a bird  

  as chilly as a tomb as countless as the stars ( as hairs, the desert sands )  

  as chubby as a cherub as cowardly as a wild duck  

  as clammy as death as crafty as a fox  

  as clean as a Dutch oven as credulous as a child  

  as clean as a new pin as crisp as new bank notes  

  as clear as a bell ( said of tones ) as crooked as a corkscrew  

  as clear as crystal as cross as two sticks  

  as clear as daylight ( as rock water ) as cruel as Media ( as winter, as death )  

  as clear as day ( noonday ) as cunning as a fox ( as a monkey )  

  as clever as paint as curious as fish.  

  as clumsy as a bear      

   

D

  as dangerous as machine guns as disappointing as wet gunpowder  

  as dark as a dungeon ( as pitch, as midnight ) as dismal as a hearse  

  as dead as a door nail ( as the Roman Empire ) as distant as the horizon  

  as dead as mutton ( as wood ) as dizzy as a goose  

  as dead as a herring as docile as a lamb  

  as deaf as a beetle ( as the billows ) as dreadful as a gathering storm  

  as deaf as a post as dreary as an Asian steppe ( as an empty house )  

  as deceitful as the devil as drunk as a lord ( as a fiddler )  

  as deceptive as the mirage of the desert as drunk as a top ( as fish, as a beggar )  

  as deep as despair as dry as a biscuit  

  as deep as hell ( as the sea ) as dry as dust  

  as deep as a well ( as a draw-well ) as dry as a bone  

  as dejected as a wet hen as dry as a mummy  

  as delicious as forbidden fruit ( as a dream ) as dry as a stick  

  as desolate as a tomb as dull as ditch water ( as lead )  

  as devoted as a faithful dog as dumb as any oyster ( as a mouse )  

  as devoted as a mother as dumb as a statue  

  as difficult as a Greek puzzle ( as a beginning ) as dumb as stone  

  as dirty as a hog ( pig )


E

  as eager as a bridegroom as elusive as quicksilver  

  as easy as A. B. C. as empty as an idiot's mind ( as space )  

  as easy as pie ( as shelling peas, as lying ) as enticing as a riddle  

  as easy as winking as essential as the dew  

  as elastic as a caterpillar as expensive as glory  

  as eloquent as Cicero


F

  as fabulous as Aladdin's ring as flabby as a sponge  

  as faint as the hum of distant bees as flat as a board  

  as fair as the morn ( as truth, as Eve in Paradise ) as flat as a flounder  

  as fair as a rose as flat as a pancake ( as flat as the fens of Holland )  

  as faithful as the dog ( as the sun ) as fleet as a gazelle ( as a deer )  

  as faithless as fair weather as fleet as a greyhound ( as Diana )  

  as false as dice as fleet as the wind  

  as familiar as an oath ( as a popular song ) as flimsy as gauze ( as gossamer )  

  as far as the poles asunder as foolish as a calf  

  as fast as a deer as foul as slander ( as a sty )  

  as fast as a hare as frail as a lily ( as flowers, as glass )  

  as fast as light as free as the air ( as a breeze )  

  as fast as an eagle ( as a storm ) as free as thought  

  as fat as butter as free as a fly  

  as fat as a pig as free as a daisy  

  as fat as a porpoise ( as a whale ) as fresh as dew  

  as fat as a quail as fresh as rose  

  as fat as a sheep's tail ( as a distillery pig ) as fresh as paint  

  as feeble as a child as fresh as sea breeze  

  as fickle as the weather ( as friends, as the sea ) as friendless as an alarm clock  

  as fidgety as an old maid as friendly as a puppy  

  as fierce as a lion ( as a tiger ) as frigid as an iceberg  

  as fierce as a famished wolf ( as wolves ) as frightened as Macbeth before the ghost of Banquo  

  as firm as faith ( as adamant ) as frisky as colts ( as a kitten )  

  as firm as a rock as frisky as a lamb ( as a two-year-old )  

  as firm as steel ( as rocky mountains ) as frizzled as a lawyer's wig  

  as fit as a fiddle as fruitful as Egypt  

  as fixed as the laws of the Medes and the Persians as full as an egg is of meat  

  as fixed as fate    


 G

  as game as a fighting cock as glorious as the sun  

  as garrulous as a magpie as glum as an oyster ( as mud )  

  as garrulous as an old maid as gluttonous as curiosity  

  as gaudy as a butterfly as good as gold  

  as gaudy as a peacock as good as a play  

  as gay as a bullfinch as gorgeous as a Sultan ( as the Heavens )  

  as gay as a lark as graceful as a fawn  

  as gay as the spring as graceful as a swan  

  as generous as a dream as gracious as the morn ( as a duchess )  

  as generous as a lord as grand as a victory ( as Greek statue, as the world )  

  as genial as sunshine as grasping as a miser  

  as gentle as a dove as grave as a judge  

  as gentle as a fawn ( as a turtle dove ) as grey as time  

  as gentle as a lamb as grey as smoke  

  as gentle as sleep ( as falling dew ) as great as a lord  

  as glad as a fly ( as blooming tree ) as greedy as a hog ( as a cormorant )  

  as glib as glass as greedy as a pig ( a wolf, a dog )  

  as glossy as a mole as green as grass  

  as glossy as the finest silk as grim as death ( as hell )  

  as gloomy as night as gruff as a bear  

       

H.


  as haggard as specters as heavy as lead  

  as hairless as an egg as heavy as sand ( as a bag of sand )  

  as hairy as a gorilla as helpless as a babe  

  as hairy as a mastodon ( a spider ) as hideous as the witch of Endor  

  as handsome as paint as high as heaven ( as the stars )  

  as happy as a child ( as a sandboy ) as hoarse as a raven ( as a crow )  

  as happy as the day is long as hollow as a drum  

  as happy as a king as honest as a mirror  

  as happy as a lark as hopeful as the break of day  

  as happy as a lord as horny as a camel's knee  

  as hard as flint ( as granite, as steel ) as horrid as a murderer's dream  

  as hard as horn as hot as fire ( as molten lead )  

  as hard as iron as hot as a furnace ( as an oven )  

  as hard as nails as hot as pepper ( as hell )  

  as hard as a stone ( marble ) as hueless as a ghost  

  as harmless as a babe as huge as high Olympus  

  as harmless as a dove as humble as a worm ( as Uriah Heep )  

  as harsh as truth ( as a grating wheel ) as humorous as wind  

  as hasty as a fire as hungry as a hawk  

  as hateful as death as hungry as a hunter  

  as haughty as a devil as hungry as the grave ( as a church mouse )  

  as healthy as a May morning as hungry as a wolf ( as a bear, as a horse )  

  as hearty as an oak as hushed as midnight.  

  as heavy as an elephant  



I.

as idle as a Lazzarone ( as air ) as inconstant as the moon ( as the waves )  

  as ignorant as a child as indolent as an old bachelor  

  as illimitable as the boundless sea as industrious as a beaver  

  as illusive as a dream as inevitable as death  

  as imitative as a monkey as inexhaustible as the deep sea  

  as immaculate as an angel as inexorable as a grave  

  as immense as the sea as inflexible as a granite rock  

  as immortal as the stars as innocent as a babe  

  as immutable as the laws of the Medes and the Persians as innocent as a dove  

  as impatient as a lover as innocent as a lamb  

  as imperishable as eternity as invisible as the air  

  as impetuous as a poet

J.

as jealous as a Spaniard      

  as jealous as a cat      

  as jolly as a shoe brush ( as a sandboy )      

  as joyful as a fly      

  as joyous as the laughter of a child      

  as jubilant as old sleigh bells      

   

K.

  as keen as a razor      

  as keen as hunger      

  as keen as mustard      

  as killing as a plague      

  as kind as consent      

  as knowing as the stars

L.

as languid as a love-sick maid as light as thistle down  

  as large as life as like as two herring  

  as lasting as the pyramids as like as two beans  

  as lavish as the moon as like as two peas  

  as lawful as eating as like as two drops of water  

  as lawless as the stormy wind as lithe as a panther ( as a tiger )  

  as lax as cut string as little as Tom Thumb  

  as lazy as a toad ( as a lobster ) as little as a squirrel  

  as lazy as a pig as lively as a cricket  

  as lazy as a ship in the doldrums as loathsome as a toad  

  as lean as Sancho's ass ( as a lath ) as lonely as a deserted ship ( as the Arctic Sea )  

  as lean as a skeleton as loose as a rope of sand ('loose' here means 'incoherent' as of a person's speech)  

  as lenient as soft opiates to the mind as loquacious as Polonius  

  as level as a pond as loud as a horn  

  as liberal as the sun as loud as thunder  

  as lifeless as the grave as lovely as Venus  

  as light as down as lovely as the violet  

  as light as air as low as the grave  

  as light as a butterfly ( 'light' here is opposed to 'grave') as lowly as a slave  

  as light as a cork as loyal as an apostle  

  as light as a feather ('light here is opposed to 'heavy' ) as loyal as a dove

M.

  as mad as a hatter as mischievous as a kitten  

  as mad as a March hare as mischievous as a monkey  

  as magnanimous as Agamemnon as mobile as humanity  

  as malicious as Satan as modest as a dove  

  as mean as a miser as modest as a primrose  

  as meek as a dove as monotonous as the sea  

  as meek as a lamb as motionless as a corpse  

  as meek as a mouse as mournful as the grave  

  as merciless as the grave ( as Othello ) as muddy as sheep dogs  

  as merciless as ambition as mum as an oyster  

  as merry as a cricket as mute as a fish  

  as merry as a lark as mute as mice  

  as merry as spring as mute as the tomb  

  as mild as a dove as mute as the grave  

  as mild as moonlight as mysterious as an echo ( as a sphinx )

N.

as naked as night as nice as ninepence  

  as naked as a peeled apple as nimble as a bee  

  as natural as life as nimble as lizard ( as quicksilver )  

  as nearsighted as amole as nimble as a squirrel  

  as neat as a nail ( as ninepins ) as noiseless as a shadow  

  as needful as the sun as noisy as a menagerie  

  as nervous as a mouse as numerous as the sands upon the ocean shore.  

  as new as day    


O.

as obedient as a puppet ( as the scabbard ) as old as the hills  

  as obnoxious as an alligator as opaque as the sky  

  as obstinate as a mule as open as day  

  as obstinate as a pig as open as a smile  

  as old as creation ( as methuselah as Trilobites ) as opposite as the poles


P.

as pale as a ghost as plump as partridge  

  as pale as death as polite as wax  

  as passionate as young love as poor as a church mouse  

  as patient as the hours as poor as Job  

  as patient as Job as poor as Lazarus  

  as patient as an ox as populous as an ant hill  

  as peaceful as sleep as positive as a Scotsman  

  as persistent as a mosquito as powerful as death  

  as piercing as light as powerful as a lion  

  as placid as a duck pond as powerless as an infant  

  as plain as a pikestaff as pretty as a picture  

  as playful as a butterfly as pretty as paint  

  as playful as a rabbit as progressive s time  

  as playful as a kitten as prolific as rabbits  

  as playful as a puppy as proud as a peacock  

  as playful as a squirrel as proud as Lucifer  

  as pleasant as health as punctilious as a Spaniard  

  as pleased as punch as punctual as a springtime  

  as plentiful as ants as pure as a lily  

  as plentiful as blackberries as pure as winter snow  

  as plump as mastiffs as pure as faith  

      as purple as the heather

Q.

as quarrelsome as the weasel      

  as quick as a flash      

  as quick as a lamplighter      

  as quick as lightning      

  as quick as thought      

  as quick as a weasel      

  as quiet as a mouse      

  as quiet as a lamb

R.

  as ragged as Lazarus as resistless as the wind  

  as rapid as lightning as restless as ambition  

  as rare as a blue rose as restless as the sea  

  as rare as a comet as rich as Croesus ( as a Creole )  

  as ravenous as a winter wolf as rich as a Jew  

  as real as the stars as right as nails  

  as rebellious as the sea as right as rain  

  as red as a cherry as ripe as a cherry  

  as red as fire as rosy as a bride ( as the morn )  

  as red as blood ( as a poppy ) as rotten as dirt  

  as red as crimson as rough as hemp  

  as red as a rose as rough as a storm  

  as red as scarlet as round as a barrel  

  as red as a turkey-cock as round as the O of Giotto  

  as refractory as a mule as round as an orange ( as an apple )  

  as regal as Juno as round as a ball  

  as regular as the clock ( as clockwork ) as round as a globe  

  as regular as sunrise as rude as a bear  

  as relentless as fate as rugged as a rhinoceros  

  as remote as a dream as ruthless as the sea

S.


  as sacred as a shrine as solid as bricks  

  as sad as night as solitary as a tomb  

  as sad as doom as soothing as the breath of spring  

  as safe as houses ( as the bank ) as sound as a bell  

  as safe as a tortoise under its shell as sour as lime ( crab )  

  as safe as blackhouse ( a sardine ) as sour as vinegar  

  as salt as sea sponge ( as brine ) as spacious as the element  

  as salt as a herring as speechless as a stone  

  as saucy as the wave as spineless as a jelly fish  

  as scarce as hen's teeth as spiteful as a monkey  

  as scarce as feathers on a fish as spotless as snow ( as lilies )  

  as secret as thought as spruce as an onion  

  as secure as the grave as stale as old beer  

  as seedy as a raspberry as stately as an oak  

  as selfish as a fox as steadfast as a queen  

  as senseless as stones as steady as the sun  

  as sensitive as a flower as stealthy as a rock  

  as serious as a doctor as stealthy as a cat  

  as serious as an owl as stern as a judge  

  as shallow as a pan as stiff as a poker  

  as shameless as sin as stiff as a stone ( as a ramrod )  

  as shameless as a nude statue as stiff as death  

  as shapeless as an old shoe as still as a log ( as a statue )  

  as sharp as a needle as still as the grave  

  as sharp as a razor ( as a thistle ) as still as a post  

  as sharp as a lance as stink as a polecat ( as carrion )  

  as short as any dream as stolid as a cow  

  as short as the life of a wave as straight as an arrow  

  as shy as a schoolgirl as straight as a candle ( as a lance )  

  as shy as the squirrel as strange as a vision  

  as shy as the fawn as strong as brandy  

  as sick as the dog as strong as Hercules ( as Samson )  

  as silent as the grave ( as the dead ) as strong as a horse ( as a lion )  

  as silent as thought as strong as an ox  

  as silent as the stars as stubborn as a mule  

  as silent as a stone as stupid as an ass ( as a donkey )  

  as silly as calves as stupid as a sloth  

  as silly as a sheep ( as a goose, as a goat ) as stupid as a log ( as a post )  

  as simple as A B C as stupid as an oak  

  as simple as a child as subtle as a serpent  

  as sincere as sunlight as sudden as a snap  

  as sleek as a mouse as sudden as lightning  

  as sleepless as owls as sulky as a bear  

  as slender as gossamer as superfluous as a fifth wheel  

  as slender as a thread as superstitious as sailors  

  as slippery as an eel as supple as a snake  

  as slippery as ice as sure as a gun  

  as slippery as a serpent as sure as sunrise  

  as slow as a tortoise as sure as death  

  as sly as a fox as sure as fate  

  as small as atoms as sure-footed as a goat  

  as small as a sixpence as surly as a bear  

  as small as paint as suspicious as a cat  

  as smooth as butter as sweet as honey  

  as smooth as ice as sweet as a nut  

  as smooth as glass ( as velvet ) as sweet as a rose  

  as smooth as oil as sweet as sugar  

  as sober as a judge as swift as an arrow  

  as soft as butter ( as down ) as swift as a deer  

  as soft as wool as swift as a hare  

  as soft as velvet as swift as a hawk ( eagle )  

  as soft as fur ( as silk, as putty ) as swift as lightning ( as a flash )  

  as soft as wax as swift as thought  

      as swift as the wind  


    T.


   as talkative as a magpie as thin as a wafer  

  as tall as a giant as thirsty as a sponge ( as Tantalus )  

  as tall as a steeple ( mast ) as thoughtless as a lark  

  as tall as maypole as tidy as a candy shop  

  as tall as a poplar as tight as a drum head  

  as tame as a sheep as tight as teeth  

  as tame as a chicken as tight as wax  

  as tame as a hare as timid as a mouse  

  as tame as a house cat as timid as a fawn  

  as taut as a fiddle string as timid as a rabbit ( as a hare )  

  as tedious as a guilty conscience as tired as tombstones  

  as tenacious as a bull-dog as tough as leather ( said of food hard to chew )  

  as tender as a bud as tough as nails  

  as tender as a chicken (i.e. in eating flesh ) as trackless as the sea ( as the desert )  

  as tender as a lamb as tranquil as the summer sea  

  as tender as a shepherd as transient as lightning  

  as tender as tears as transparent as glass  

  as terrible as J ove as treacherous as the memory  

  as terrible as hell as tricky as an ape ( a monkey )  

  as thick as ants as trivial as a parrot's prate  

  as thick as a cable as troublesome as a monkey  

  as thick as thieves as true as the gospel  

  as thick as hail ( as hailstones ) as true as steel  

  as thick as blackberries as truthful as a knight of old  

  as thin as a groat ( as a lath ) as tuneless as a bag of wool  

  as thin as a rake    

 

U.


  as ugly as a bear ( as an ape ) as unfeeling as rocks  

  as ugly as a scarecrow as unhappy as King Lear  

  as ugly as sin as universal as seasickness  

  as ugly as a toad as universal as light  

  as unapproachable as a star as unmerciful as the billows  

  as unattractive as a gargoyle as unprofitable as smoke  

  as uncertain as the weather as unreal as a dream  

  as unchangeable as the past as unstable as the wind  

  as unclean as sin as unstable as water  

  as uncomplaining as a lamb as unsteady as the ocean  

  as uncompromising as justice as unusual as a sailor on horseback  

  as unconquerable as chewing gum as upright as a tower  

  as uncontrollable as the wave as useful as a cow

 

   V.

as vague as a shadow ( as futurity )      

  as vain as a peacock      

  as various as the weather ( as variable as the weather )      

  as vast as eternity      

  as venomous as a snake      

  as vigilant as the stars      

  as vigorous as fire      

  as violent as steam      

  as virtuous as holy truth      

  as voiceless as the tomb      

  as vulgar as money   


 W.


  as wan as moonlight ( as ashes ) as wet as a fish  

  as warlike as the wolf as wet as a drowned rat  

  as warm as sunbeams as white as fleece ( as ivory, as a lily )  

  as warm as wool as white as a ghost  

  as wary as a fox as white as porcelain  

  as wasteful as a hen as white as sheet  

  as watchful as a hawk as white as snow  

  as watchful as a sentinel as white as wool  

  as wavering as Hamlet as wide as hope  

  as weak as a baby ( as a child ) as wilful as a mule  

  as weak as a kitten ( as a cat ) as wily as a fox  

  as weak as water as wise as an owl  

  as weak as a reed as wise as a serpent  

  as weather-beaten as a fisherman's oar as wise as Soloman  

  as welcome as dew on parched flowers as wise as Solon  

  as welcome as rainstorm in hell as witless as a jackdaw  

  as welcome as a star


Y, Z


  as yellow as a crow's foot as zigzag as a lightning  

  as yellow as a guinea      

  as yellow as saffron ( as jaundice, as sulphur )      

  as yielding as wax      

  as young as morn      

  as young as dawn      

  as youthful as the month of May



 



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