Figure of speech
From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change
A figure of speech is an expression used to communicate a message. Many figures of speech are not meant to be understood as a literal message.
A common figure of speech in North America is to say that someone "threw down the gauntlet." This does not usually mean that a person threw a protective wrist-covering down on the ground. Instead, it usually means that the person issued a public challenge to another person (or group of people).
