Original: In cognitive linguistics , conceptual metaphor , or cognitive metaphor , refers to the understanding of one idea , or conceptual domain , in terms of another , for example , understanding quantity in terms of directionality ( e.g. '' prices are rising '' ) .
Simplified: A conceptual metaphor or cognitive metaphor is a metaphor which refers to one domain ( group of ideas ) in terms of another . For example , treating quantity in terms of direction :