metaphorilises

Metaphorilise is a verb used to describe the act of expressing or explaining something by means of metaphor. In rhetoric and writing, to metaphorilise a concept is to frame it using figurative language that maps one domain of experience onto another. The term is primarily used in British English and is a cognate of the American "metaphorize" or "metaphorise"; it emphasizes the creative act of crafting a metaphor to illuminate an idea rather than merely naming it literally.

Usage and examples: Writers metaphorilise scientific phenomena to aid comprehension, politicians metaphorilise policy goals to suggest a narrative of progress, and educators metaphorilise complex processes to facilitate learning. Common techniques include extended metaphors, conceptual metaphors (for example understanding time as a resource), and metaphorical framing.

Etymology: derived from metaphor, with the suffix -ise, modeling after similar English verbs such as energise or formalise. The form "metaphorilises" is the third-person singular present tense in standard British usage.

Reception and implications: Metaphorisation can enhance accessibility and engagement, increase persuasiveness, and reveal underlying assumptions. Critics warn that metaphorical framing may oversimplify, distort data, or bias interpretation if chosen inappropriately. In cognitive linguistics, metaphorise is related to the study of conceptual metaphor, which posits that many abstract ideas are understood via concrete domains.

See also: metaphor, metaphorical language, conceptual metaphor, framing, rhetorical devices, metaphorization.