Metonymy literary definition and examples -Metonymy and Synecdoche

 Metonymy literary definition

 It is a figure of speech that replaces the name of a thing with the name of something else with which it is closely associated.

 

Metonymy,Synecdoche and Metaphor

Metonymy is often confused with another figure of speech called synecdoche. They resemble each other but are not same. Synecdoche refers to a thing by the name of one of its parts. For example ,calling a car "a wheel" is a synecdoche . A part of a car I.E. " a wheel" stands for the whole car . In a metonymy, on the other hand, the word we use to describe another thing is closely linked to that particular thing,but is not a part of it. For example," Crown" Which means power or authority is a metonymy.

Metonymy is diffrent from a metaphor. A metaphor draws resemblance between two different things as in " You are sunlight and I moon"- Sun and moon from miss saigon. Sunlight and describe one thing in terms of another based on a supposed similarity. Metonymy, however ,develops relation on the grounds of close associations as in " The white house is concerned about terrorism." The white house here represents the people who work on it.

Examples of metonymy in everyday Life

1. Let me give you a hand.( Hand  means help)

2. The oval office was busy in work. ( The oval office is a metonymy as it stands for people at work in the office.)

3. The pen is mightier than the sward. ( pen refers to written words and sword to military force.)

4.  England decides to keep check on immigration. ( England refers to the government)

Metonymy Examples from Literature

# Friends, Romans, Countrymen,lend me your ears.

# As he swung toward them holding up the hand

half in appeal,but half as if to keep the life from spilling.