Metaphors are word pictures.
Technically speaking, a metaphor is a form of figurative language in which a word denoting one subject or activity is used in place of another to suggest a likeness between them. We use metaphors all the time in speaking. Metaphors are so woven into the English language that we usually use them without even realizing it. We just used a metaphor. Occasionally we consciously use a metaphor to more vividly convey a thought or point we want to make.