Explicit Similes

A simile can explicitly provide the basis of a comparison or leave this basis implicit. For
instance, the following similes are implicit, leaving an audience to determine for themselves
which features are being predicated of a target:

"My dad was a mechanic by trade when he was in the Army," Raymond Thompson said.
"When he got the tools out, he was like a surgeon."

More detail is present in the following similes, but it is still a matter of inference as to what
features are actually predicated of the target:

He fights like a lion.

She swims like a dolphin.

He slithers like a snake.

He runs like a cheetah.

She kicks like a mule.

He flopped like a fish out of water.

In contrast, the following similes explicitly state the features that are predicated of each target:

When he got the tools out, he was as precise and thorough as a surgeon.

He drinks copiously like a fish.

She walks as gracefully and elegantly as a cat.

He was as a lion in the fight.

He was as tough as a bull

Unlike a metaphor, a simile can be as precise as the user needs it to be, to explicitly predicate a
single feature of a target or to vaguely predicate an under-determined and open-ended body of
features. Empirical research supports the observation that similes are more likely to be used with
explicit explanations of their intended meaning;[5] this offers some support to the claim that
similes are preferred if a user wants to associate an unusual or out-of-the-ordinary property with
a target.

[edit] Sayings

as precise as a surgeon

as regular as a clock

as cunning as a fox

as quiet as a mouse

as slow as a sloth

as proud as a peacock

as clean as a whistle

as wise as an owl

[edit] Irony

as subtle as a sledgehammer

as straight as a round-about

as pretty as a car crash

as smooth as sandpaper

as balanced as an upturned pyramid

as funny as a funeral

[edit] Without 'like' or 'as'

Similes are sometimes made without using the words "like" or "as." This often occurs when
making comparisons of differing values.[6]

"Norman was more anxious to leave the area than Herman Milquetoast after seeing ten
abominable snowmen charging his way with hunger in their eyes."

"But this truth is more obvious than the sun--here it is; look at it; its brightness blinds
you."

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate:" William Shakespeare, Sonnet 18

"I'm happier than a tornado in a trailer park." - Mater, Cars

As bold as brass
As brave as a lion
As bright as a button
As bright as a new pin
As bright as day
As bright as the sun
As busy as a beaver
As busy as a bee
As busy as a cat on a hot tin roof
As calm as a millpond
As clear as a bell
As clean as a hound's tooth
As clean as a whistle
As clear as crystal
As clear as mud
As cold as ice
As common as dirt
As cool as a cucumber
As crazy as a loon

As cunning as a fox
As cute as a baby
As cute as a button
As cute as a cup cake
As damp as the salty blue ocean
As dead as a doornail
As dead as the dodo
As deaf as a post
As delicate as a flower
As dense as a brick
As different as chalk from cheese
As drunk as a lord
As dry as a bone
As dry as dust
As dull as dishwater
As easy as A.B.C.
As easy as pie
As fast as a racecar
As fat as a hippo
As fat as a pig
As fit as a fiddle
As flat as a pancake
As free as a bird
As fresh as a daisy
As funny as a balloon
As gentle as a lamb As good as gold
As hairy as an ape
As happy as a clown
As happy as a lark
As happy as Larry
As happy as a rat with a gold tooth
As hard as nails
As hard as rock
As high as a kite
As hoarse as a crow
As hot as a fire cracker
As hot as hell
As hungry as a bear
As hungry as a wolf
As innocent as a lamb
As keen as mustard
As large as life
As light as a feather
As light as air
As likely as not
As loud as a lion

As lowly as a worm
As mad as a hatter
As mad as a hornet
As mad as the march hare
As merry as a cricket
As modest as a maiden
As much use as a yard of pump water
As naked as a baby
As neat as a pin
As nutty as a fruitcake
As obstinate as a mule
As old as dirt
As old as the hills
As pale as death
As pale as a ghost
As patient as Job
As plain as day
As pleased as Punch
As poor as a church mouse
As poor as dirt
As pretty as a picture
As proud as a peacock
As pure as snow
As pure as the driven snow
As quick as a wink
As quick as lightning
As quick as silver
As quiet as a mouse
As rich as gold
As right as rain
As round as a barrel
As round as a circle
As round as a sphere
As safe as houses
As scarce as hen's teeth
As sensitive as a flower
As sharp as a needle
As sharp as a razor
As sick as a dog
As sick as a parrt
As silent as the dead
As silent as the grave
As silly as a goose
As sleepy as a koala
As slippery as an eel
As slow as molasses

As slow as a snail
As slow as a tortoise
As slow as a turtle
As slow as a wet weekend
As sly as a fox
As smart as an owl
As smooth as silk
As snug as a bug in a rug
As sober as a judge
As soft as a baby's bottom
As solid as a rock
As solid as the ground we stand on
As sound as a bell
As sour as vinegar
As steady as a rock
As sticky as jam
As stiff as a board
As still as death
As straight as an arrow
As strong as an ox
As stubborn as a mule
As sturdy as an oak
As sure as death and taxes
As sweet as honey
As tall as a giraffe
As tight as a drum
As thick as a brick
As thin as a rake
As thin as a toothpick
As timid as a rabbit
As tiny as a grain of sand
As tough as leather
As tough as nails
As tough as old boots
As tricky as a box of monkeys
As welcome as a skunk at a lawn party
As white as a ghost
As white as a sheet
As white as snow
As wise as Solomon
As wise as an owl
As agile as a monkey
As alike as two peas in a pod
As annoying as nails scratching against a chalkboard.
As bald as a baby's backside

As bald as a badger
As bald as a coot
As beautiful as nature
As big as a boat
As big as a bus
As big as an elephant
As black as a sweep
As black as coal
As black as one is painted
As black as pitch
As blind as a bat
As blind as a mole

His skin was as cold as ice.

It felt as hard as rock.
She looked as gentle as a lamb.
He ran as fast as the wind
His explanation was as clear as mud.
John was as brave as a lion.
Jared was upset when he mentioned she was as cold as a hailstone.
List of AS...AS Similes
This is a list of well known AS...AS similes. There are more similes, of course, some common
and others less common because anyone can make a simile at any time--you too!
simile

meaning

as alike as two peas in a pod

identical or nearly so

as bald as a coot

completely bald

as big as a bus

very big

as big as an elephant

very big

as black as a sweep

completely black

comment

sweep = chimney sweep

as black as coal

completely black

as black as pitch

completely black

as blind as a bat

completely blind

may be exaggeration

as blind as a mole

completely blind

may be exaggeration

as bold as brass

very bold

usually in a negative
sense

as brave as a lion

very brave

as bright as a button

very bright

as bright as a new pin

very bright and shiny

as busy as a beaver

very busy

as busy as a bee

very busy

as busy as a cat on a hot tin

roof

very busy

as calm as a millpond

very calm and still

usually said of water

as clear as a bell

very clear

of a sound

as clean as a whistle

very clean

as clear as crystal

very clear

as clear as mud

not at all clear

as cold as ice

very cold

as common as dirt

very common, rude, vulgar

as cool as a cucumber

cool

as cunning as a fox

cunning

as dead as a doornail

dead

irony/sarcasm

usually said of a person

as dead as the dodo

dead, extinct

the dodo is an extinct

bird

as deaf as a post

completely deaf

may be exaggeration

as different as chalk from

cheese

very different

as drunk as a lord

completely drunk

as dry as a bone

very dry

as dry as dust

very dry

as dull as dishwater

dull, boring

as easy as A.B.C.

very easy

as easy as apple-pie

very easy

as flat as a pancake

completely flat

as free as a bird

very free to go anywhere

as fresh as a daisy

very fresh

as gentle as a lamb

very gentle

usually said of a person

as good as gold

very good and obedient

usually said of a person

as happy as a lark

very happy

usually said of a person

as hard as nails

very tough in character

of a person

as hot as hell

very hot

as hungry as a bear

very hungry

as hungry as a wolf

very hungry

as innocent as a lamb

innocent, not worldly-wise

as large as life

conspicuously present

usually said of a person

usually said of a person

as light as a feather

very light

as light as air

very light

as mad as a hatter

completely crazy

as mad as a hornet

very angry

as nutty as a fruitcake

completely crazy

as obstinate as a mule

very obstinate, stubborn

as old as the hills

very, very old

as pale as death

very pale or white in the face of a person

as plain as day

very clear

as poor as a church mouse

poverty-stricken

as poor as dirt

poverty-stricken

as proud as a peacock

very proud

as pure as snow

pure and innocent

as pure as the driven snow

pure and innocent

as quick as a wink

very quick(ly)

as quick as lightning

very quick(ly)

as quick as silver

very quick

as quiet as a church mouse

very quiet

as safe as houses

very safe, secure

as scarce as hen's teeth

very, very scarce

as sharp as a razor

very sharp

irony (hens have no

teeth)

as sick as a dog

very sick

as sick as a parrot

very sick

as silent as the dead

completely silent

as silent as the grave

completely silent

as slippery as an eel

slippery, evasive, not to be

trusted

as slow as a snail

very slow

as slow as a tortoise

very slow

as smooth as silk

very smooth

as snug as a bug in a rug

in a very comfortable position humorous

as sober as a judge

sober

as solid as a rock

solid

of a person

as solid as the ground we stand

solid
on
as sound as a bell

very clear

as sour as vinegar

very sour

as steady as a rock

very steady

as stiff as a board

completely stiff

as straight as an arrow

straight

as strong as an ox

very strong

as stubborn as a mule

very stubborn, obstinate

as sturdy as an oak

very strong and solid

as sure as death and taxes

absolutely certain to happen

of a sound

an arrow flies straight

as tall as a giraffe

very tall

as thin as a rake

very thin

as timid as a rabbit

very timid

as tough as leather

very tough

as tough as nails

very tough

often said of a person

as tough as old boots

very tough

often said of a person

as welcome as a skunk at a
lawn party

not welcome at all

irony/sarcasm (skunks
stink)

as white as a ghost

very pale or white in the face of a person

as white as a sheet

pure white

as white as snow

pure white

as wise as Solomon

very wise

as wise as an owl

very wise

Similes

King Solomon