Which term means an expression whose meaning is different from the literal words?

Which term means an expression whose meaning is different from the literal words?

• A. Oxymoron
• B. Idiom
• C. Alliteration
• D. Onomatopoeia

Answer: (B)

Idioms are expressions whose meaning is different from the literal words. They rely on understanding the phrase as a whole rather than just the dictionary meanings of the individual words. For example, “spill the beans” means to reveal a secret, not literally tipping over beans; “it’s raining cats and dogs” means it’s raining very hard. This idea that the overall meaning isn’t tied to the exact words is what makes something an idiom. Oxymorons involve putting opposite terms together for effect (like “jumbo shrimp” or “deafening silence”), which is a different kind of figure of speech. Alliteration is the repetition of initial sounds, which is about sound pattern, not meaning. Onomatopoeia is a word that imitates a sound.

Idioms are expressions whose meaning is different from the literal words. They rely on understanding the phrase as a whole rather than just the dictionary meanings of the individual words. For example, “spill the beans” means to reveal a secret, not literally tipping over beans; “it’s raining cats and dogs” means it’s raining very hard. This idea that the overall meaning isn’t tied to the exact words is what makes something an idiom.

Oxymorons involve putting opposite terms together for effect (like “jumbo shrimp” or “deafening silence”), which is a different kind of figure of speech. Alliteration is the repetition of initial sounds, which is about sound pattern, not meaning. Onomatopoeia is a word that imitates a sound.