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A verbal phrase whose meaning is purely figurative, such as “shake a leg” or “kick the bucket,” is called what?Multiple Choiceoxymoronidiompunidiosyncrasy

Question

A verbal phrase whose meaning is purely figurative, such as “shake a leg” or “kick the bucket,” is called what?

  • Multiple Choice
    • oxymoron
    • idiom
    • pun
    • idiosyncrasy
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Solution

The term you are looking for is idiom.

Explanation

  1. Definition: An idiom is a commonly used expression that doesn’t make sense when taken literally. The meaning of idioms is often understood through cultural context rather than the actual words themselves.

  2. Examples: Phrases like "kick the bucket" (which means to die) and "shake a leg" (which means to hurry up) are prime examples of idioms; their meanings are not directly derived from the words they contain.

  3. Contrast with Other Options:

    • Oxymoron: A figure of speech in which two contradictory terms appear in conjunction, such as “deafening silence.”
    • Pundíosyncrasy: This refers to a characteristic, habit, or mannerism that is peculiar to an individual, not necessarily related to figurative language.

In the context of your question, idiom correctly identifies phrases that convey a figurative meaning.

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