Metaphor

A metaphor is a specific term, phrase, or often idiom, that is used to make a comparison between two common things that are not alike. These types of comparisons are often tools used to create an analogy.
Some species had languages that were heavily dependent on, or even based on, metaphors to provide clear communication within the species, such as the use of story-based metaphors in the Tamarian language () and the use of culinary-based metaphors in the Klowahkan language (). The universal translator tended to initially translate these metaphors improperly, which could impede communications with outsiders by obfuscating what the speaker was trying to say to varying degrees. When the universal translator was translating their speech literally, a Klowahkan could be generally understood but come across as overtly and annoyingly obsessed with food and give strange advice like cooking paella as an outlet for rage, while a Tamarian would be unintelligible to anyone not familiar with their culture's mythology. (, )
Discussing the interruption in the sensors caused by the red bursts detected in 2257, Commander Michael Burnham described the interruption as "like a compass at the north pole." Evan Connolly indicated he found the "metaphor" simplistic, though Burnham corrected him that her statement was more accurately described as a simile. Captain Christopher Pike admired her correction, noting: "He said you were smart." ()
William T. Riker referred to the Earth nursery rhyme, "What Are Little Boys Made Of?", which stated: "Girls are made from sugar and spice, boys are made from snips and snails... and puppy dog tails," to describe the "old-fashioned way of looking at the sexes" to the androgynous Soren. He later clarified that "physically, men are bigger, stronger" and that they "have different sexual organs." He also noted that "men can't bear young." ()
Upon his retirement from being the Grand Nagus, Zek appointed Rom to be his successor, explaining the role metaphorically as "It's a great responsibility to stand at the of the Ferengi ship of state. A Nagus has to navigate the waters of the Great Material Continuum, avoid the shoals of bankruptcy and seek the strong winds of prosperity." ()
== Metaphors ==
;"A mother hen" 
* When Major J. Hayes returned to duty, despite Doctor Phlox's concerns, Malcolm Reed explained to Hayes that "I'm afraid [the Doctor's] a bit of a mother hen." ()
* Captain Jean-Luc Picard accused Commander Riker of being a mother hen, by first stating "Oh, cluck, cluck, Number One," when the commander disapproved of the captain beaming down to Ramatis III along with Riva in 2365. ()
* When Captain Benjamin Sisko and Odo were about to depart Earth, Sisko began to remind his father, Joseph to not forget to take his medicine, before the elder Sisko interrupted him and asked Odo if his son was "always such a mother hen?" Odo simply replied that "he means well." () 
;"A princess in a very high tower."
* In a holodeck recreation, Commander William T. Riker referred to Manua Apgar who was living isolated with her husband, Tanugan scientist Doctor Nel Apgar on the Tanuga IV science station as "a princess in a very high tower." ()
;"A stack of books with legs"
* Gary Mitchell so remembered James Kirk when both were in the Starfleet Academy's Presidio Campus, quoting other midshippersonnel as having warned him, "Watch out for Lieutenant Kirk! In his class you either think--or sink." ()
;"A stitch in time saves nine"
* Jean-Luc Picard once stated that he wanted Data to "put a stitch in time and, er, save much more than nine." ()
;"A trail of breadcrumbs" / "(A) trail of energy crumbs"
* ; ; 
;"A trail of broken hearts"
* 
;"A walking calculator"
* Gosheven about Data to Ard'rian McKenzie. ()
;"A walking database"
* 
;"A walking medical encyclopedia"
* The Doctor, stating his strengths. ()
 
;"A walking powder keg"
* James T. Kirk about Lazarus. ()
;"A walking tin can with circuits for intestines"
* Ira Graves as Data, about Data. ()
;"A walking pile of circuitry and memory cells"
* Geordi La Forge about Data and his accomplishment. ()
;"' heel"
Any single and potentially devastating vulnerability in an otherwise invincible enemy. 
* During the Neutral Zone Incursion of 2266, Captain James T. Kirk identified the Achilles heel of a Romulan Bird-of-Prey that had been attacking the as their need to disengage their cloaking device in order to launch their weapon, as it consumed all their energy. He planned to fire phasers at them when they dropped it. ()
* In 2367, Beverly Crusher described the Borg's interdependence as their Achilles' heel. She suggested that removing Jean-Luc Picard from their collective consciousness was akin to asking someone to disconnect one of their own limbs. ()
* Later that year, Q was delighted to discover Picard's Achilles heel; the Human emotion of love. He told Picard that if he'd known about this vulnerability which Vash had managed to unearth, he'd have appeared to the captain as a female instead. ()
;"(Someone is) all thumbs"
* According to an injured Enrique Muniz, "The nurses around here are all thumbs." ()
;"(A) battle of wits"
* 
;"Battle of the sexes"
* 
;"Beat the hell out of (someone)" / "Kick the hell out of (someone)"
* 
* ()
;"Beat the tar out of (someone)"
* James T. Kirk ()
;"Break (someones) heart" (; ); 
"Broke(n) (someones) heart" (; ; )
;"Cabin fever"
* 
;"(The) cat's out of the bag" 
* ; 
;"Character assassination"
* 
;"Chicken and the egg"
The "chicken and the egg" was a paradox, usually posed as the question, "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?"
* In an alternate anti-time future created by Q, retired captain Jean-Luc Picard, used the question of the chicken the egg as a metaphor to explain the paradox of the anti-time anomaly to Geordi La Forge, Beverly Picard, Data, and William Riker aboard the . ()
* In 2372, Torres described establishing communication with a duplicate of the by getting them to recalibrate their comm frequency carrier wave before they'd first made contact as "the chicken and the egg." ()
* In the 31st century, Jonathan Archer described ' urgent need to restore the original timeline by returning the captain to the 22nd century while lacking the technology to do so as "a chicken or the egg problem." ()
* Archer again said "Chicken or the egg" after Daniels had sent back in time to 1944 to stop Vosk's temporal incursions, and it became apparent that the timeline had changed prior to the 1940s, with Lenin's death in 1916. ()
;"Cold feet"
* ; ; 
;"Friendly vessel"
* 
;"I burn [...]. My eyes are flame. My heart is flame."
* Quoted by Spock to T'Pau during his pon farr in 2267. ()
;"I dream of a galaxy where your eyes are stars and the universe worships the night."
* William T. Riker to Guinan. ()
;"If you're going to ride in the Kentucky Derby, you don't leave your prized stallion in the stable." 
* Said to be used where was from, however, found it to be "a curious metaphor, doctor, as a stallion must first be broken before it can reach its potential." ()
"In a nutshell" ()
;"Life is an endless stream of choices"
* Cyrus Redblock ()
;"Life is but a dream"
* From "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" ()
;"Moral compass"
* ; 
;"(The) mouth of that chasm."
* ()
;"(The) mouth of the cave."
* (; )
;"(The) mouth of the wormhole."
* ()
;"Music to my ears"
* Quark on the increased decibels of his bar. ()
* Kasidy Yates after Benjamin Sisko surprised her and welcomed her home. ()
* Vic Fontaine regarding Julian Bashir's comment, "pop open the champagne". ()
;"My ears are better than the average dog's."
* 
;"My eyes are as mysterious as the stars."
* 
;"My love is a fever, longing still for that which longer nurseth the disease."
* From William Shakespeare, as quoted by Jean-Luc Picard. ()
;"My mind is floating between two places. 
* Stated by Paul Manheim, adding "It is difficult to know which is which." ()
;"Nerves of steel" 
* 
;"Never judge a fruit by its skin"
;"(Eating out of) / (in the) palm of her hand(s)."
* ; 
;"Put out to pasture."
* A phrase used in Starfleet to describe a very senior officer who no longer had a real purpose or the ability to command. As such, "being put out to pasture" usually implied be given a meaningless assignment to finish one's tenure. James T. Kirk observed this with General Korrd on Nimbus III, and hoped that when Kirk was put out to pasture he fared better than Koord. ()
;"Saber rattling" (; "Rattle his saber" ()
;"(A) savage thrust into the very heart of the Dominion."
* Jake Sisko's description of the upcoming first Battle of Chin'toka to his father, Benjamin Sisko. Jake saw that his father didn't exactly approve of the verbiage, cause Jake to quickly add, "That's not how I would write it", leaving Ben to respond, "That's a relief". ()
;"Shell of a man"
* Following the accident that claimed the independence of Christopher Pike, James T. Kirk described his current condition to being that of "a shell of a man", who was unable to speak or move. ()
;"Shell of flesh"
* How Kollos described his experience at a humanoid during a mind meld with Spock. ()
;"Snake oil salesman"
* 
;"Smoking gun"
* 
;"The smell of hatred, the stench of jealousy permeates you."
* James T. Kirk to Miranda Jones about Kollos. ()
;"Time is the fire in which we burn"
* A saying quoted by Tolian Soran. ()
;"Time is running out"
* ; ; et al.)
;"What burns in their eyes, fires my soul."
* Stated by Worf to K'Nera regarding his interaction with Korris and Konmel. ()
;"Ying and yang"
* "It's the medicinal ying to the shield's yang." ()
;"You are my anchor"
* Ves Alkar to Deanna Troi. ()
;"You are my eyes and my ears"
* 
;"Your hair is looking particularly silky tonight."
* 
== See also ==
* Big Apple
* Colorful metaphor
* Eye of the storm
* Figurehead
* Holy Grail
* Nautical terms
** Flagship
* Rosetta Stone
* "You Are My Sunshine"
== External link ==
* 
Category:Linguistics