Examples of Sensory Metaphors

See Also: Farming Metaphors Fishing Metaphors Metaphors of Space, Etc.

Metaphor List Cooking Metaphors

Temperature (touch)

• Hunka' hunka' burnin' love.
• An old flame.
• There's a fire in my heart and you fan it, Janet.
• Boiling mad.
• A feverish pace.
• I'm so hot for her and she's so cold.
• Heated debate.
• A warm reception.
• A tepid speech.
• Chill out !!
• Cool !
• You're as cold as ice. ("as ice", however, is not a metaphor in this example)
• An icy stare. (Submitted and demonstrated via phone by Barbara Casnig ! :D)
• Frozen with fear.
• The news inflamed her temper.
• They were kindling a new romance.
• Dentyne Fire; Dentyne Ice. (Chewing gum flavors with metaphors for names).
• That is a hot curry.

Texture (touch)

• That has been very hard to do.
• Her soft voice was music to his ears.
• The author's gritty style.
• His silken lies went unheard.
• Things are going smoothly.
• Her bubbly personality.
• He had a coarse manner of speech.
• Her voice is beginning to grate on me.
• I hear you're feeling rough!
• The velvet voice of Bing Crosby.
• His speech was peppered with vitriol.
• A painful lesson in life.
• He was being pressured to decide.

Light (sight)

• When you're feelin' blue.
• You light up my life.
• The blackest thoughts of men.
• Only shades of grey.
• A colorful remark.
• Deep dark secret.
• A rainbow of flavors.
• An infinite spectrum of possibilities.
• A brilliant idea!
• A bright idea.
• A dim view.
• He faded off to sleep.
• I fail to see your logic.
• Blinking lights.
• My memory is a little cloudy.
• Plans are still a little hazy.
• Deep, dark thoughts.
• The light of reason.
• A shining example of democracy.
• A beacon for fellow workers.
• A glowing review.
• A shady character.

Taste (and mouth)

• Ain't she sweet.
• Bitter? Yeah, I bitter - bit him too!
• Bittersweet memories.
• End on a sour note.
• You have great taste in furniture!
• His words had a little bite to them.
• You've given me something to chew on!
• He found her behavior unpalatable.
• Give me a little sugar, honey!
• A spicy new outfit.
• Her presentation was a little bland.
• "We do vanilla" (Roger James, a Kingston musician)

Smell

• Love stinks!
• The sweet smell of success.
• The stench of failure.
• That man reeks of infidelity!

Sound (hearing)

• The world is listening.
• Her words rang true.
• The words were music to his ears.
• The high note of the evening.
• She thundered into the room.
• An outfit that screams "I am cool!"

Copyright J.D. casnig

See Also:  Farming Metaphors Fishing Metaphors Metaphors of Space, Etc.

Metaphor List Cooking Metaphors