10 Metals and Minerals for Metaphors

10 Metals and Minerals for Metaphors 10 Metals and Minerals for Metaphors 10 Metals and Minerals for Metaphors By Mark Nichol Metals and minerals sometimes inspire associations with human characteristics or with circumstances, as in the case of the examples below: 1. Adamant Few people realize that this word, which in adjectival form means â€Å"insistent† or â€Å"unyielding,† has a lustrous origin: It comes from a Greek noun by way of Latin and originally referred to a diamond or any hard metal. In English, it also is a noun referring to the same materials or any similarly adamantine substances (yes, adamantine is a variant adjective). 2. Brassy From an association with the stridency of brass musical instruments, this adjective has come to refer not just to a quality of sound (as well as a description for the metal compound) but also to bold, clamorous, or unruly behavior. 3. Bronze The comparison of deeply tanned skin with the color of the metallic compound has resulted in the use of bronze to refer to a person with dark skin, either due to genetics or to extensive tanning, as in the reference to a physically imposing man with this hue as â€Å"a bronzed god.† 4. Flinty This term meaning â€Å"stern, unyielding† comes from the hard variety of quartz known as flint, which sparks when struck by steel and has therefore been used for millennia to start fires (though the â€Å"flint† in cigarette lighters is actually an iron alloy). The word skinflint, a synonym for miser, evokes the image of someone attempting to peel a layer off of a hunk of flint (a futile gesture because of its hardness). 5. Golden The value placed on the element gold has led to the use of the adjective golden for various figurative references. Among these, a golden musical tone is a mellow, resonant one; someone or something that is or is expected to be excellent, popular, or otherwise remarkable is marked, for instance, as a golden boy; an age or era might be described as golden; and a favorable occasion is often referred to as a golden opportunity. 6. Iron The word for this fundamental metallic element has been appropriated as an adjective denoting strength (â€Å"iron will†), robustness (â€Å"iron constitution†), relentlessness (â€Å"iron determination†), and firmness (â€Å"iron grip†). The rarely used noun form of these figurative senses is ironness. 7. Leaden Lead, because of its density and its dull color, is associated with literal (â€Å"leaden trudge†) and figurative (â€Å"leaden skies†) heaviness, as well as with dispirited or unsubtle characteristics. 8. Ossified This term literally denotes changing into bone and figuratively refers to becoming set in one’s ways. (Although bone is not strictly a mineral, it is largely composed of various minerals, hence its inclusion on the list.) 9. Silver The adjective form of the noun silver refers to soft or dulcet sounds (as of chimes), or to eloquent persuasion (â€Å"silver tongued†). Glossy gray hair is often referred to as silver, and that description leads to connotations of mature elegance (â€Å"silver-haired dignity†). 10. Steely This adjective referring to strength and hardness is best known as part of the clichà ©s â€Å"steely determination† and â€Å"steely resolve.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Bare or Bear With Me?Acronym vs. InitialismAdverbs and Hyphens