This page gathers the 5,691 dictionary entries of which at least one sense is labelled “Figuratively” by Wiktionary. The definition shown is that sense; each word leads to its full entry. Page 10 of 57: from “choreography” to “cold shower”.
- choreography noun The art of creating and arranging any activities that involve social coordination or orchestration.
- chorus noun A group of people, animals, or inanimate objects who make sounds together.
- Christian soldier noun A devout and zealous Christian, especially one who proselytizes.
- chrysalis noun Any limiting environment or situation escaped during one's growth or development in the manner of a butterfly.
- chuppah noun A marriage ceremony, wedding.
- churn verb To produce excessive and sometimes undesirable or unproductive activity or motion.
- cigar butt noun A company bought under the premise of value investing, from the idea of an inefficient attention allocation of market participants present…
- cigar-chomping adj Frequently smoking a cigar, especially as suggestive of a powerful, chauvinistic, wealthy tycoon, capitalist, etc.
- cimmerian adj Mentally dark; ignorant; benighted.
- Cinderella noun A mistreated and impoverished girl.
- circuitry noun The brain's neural network.
- circumambulatory adj Indirectly discussing a subject extensively without getting to the point; prolix.
- circumvolation noun Vacillation; the act of changing one's mind repeatedly.
- circus noun A spectacle; a noisy fuss; a chaotic and/or crowded place.
- circus act noun Anything absurd or convoluted; a rigmarole.
- citadel noun A stronghold or fortified place.
- citizen noun A notional inhabitant of a software system; an object or a software application.
- city hall noun The city government (city council, mayor, etc.); government in general.
- city mouse noun A city person; someone who has city ways.
- clabber up verb To turn sour; to become unpleasant
- clad adj Adorned, ornamented.
- clambake adj Informal, makeshift, sloppy.
- clanger noun Something that clangs; an alarm bell.
- clarion verb To announce or herald (something) clearly, especially so as to stir or unite people.
- clayey adj Of the human body, as contrasted with the soul; bodily, human, mortal.
- clean bill of health noun A statement that indicates that there are no obvious problems.
- clean house verb To reform a workplace, organization, etc. by removing undesirable personnel or procedures.
- clean sheet noun An absence of debts or indictments.
- clean slate noun A fresh start.
- clean sweep noun A thorough change of policies, personnel or objects, removing or replacing all or almost all of that which existed previously.
- clear adj Free of guilt, or suspicion.
- clear away verb To dispose of, to get rid of, to remove.
- clear the decks verb To prepare for action.
- clear-eyed adj Mentally acute and perspicacious.
- clearing house noun A hub of collection, maintenance, and distribution of goods, information etc.
- cleaver noun The act of eliminating someone or something, especially when done by someone with a history of other eliminations; a dismissal, rejection…
- clenched fist noun Synonym of raised fist.
- clickety click noun A rapid, rhythmic sound of alternating clicks, often such as typewriter keys or train wheels on tracks.
- cliff noun A point beyond which something abruptly fails or decreases in value, performance, etc.
- climate noun The context in general of a particular political, moral, etc., situation.
- climb verb To move to a higher position on a chart or hierarchy.
- climber noun A person who is constantly trying to get ahead socially.
- clime noun The context in general of a particular political, moral, etc., situation.
- cling verb To be fond of, to feel strongly about and dependent on.
- cling on verb To hold on tightly; to grip hard or adhere.
- cling to verb To remain by (someone's) side; to refuse to leave the company of.
- clip the wings of verb To prevent from acting freely.
- cloaca noun A sewer.
- cloak verb To cover up, hide or conceal.
- clock up verb To accumulate (an amount of time or experience).
- cloister noun The monastic life.
- close verb To make or become unreceptive.
- close ranks verb To regroup forces, especially when this involves overlooking differences in order to face a challenge or adverse situation. Often implies…
- close shave noun A near accident or mishap; a dangerous or risky encounter or incident.
- close to home adv Affecting one personally through deep familiarity.
- close to the wind adj Near a limit of feasibility or compliance with law or morality.
- close-tiled adj In secret; in private.
- closet noun A place of (usually, fanciful) contemplation and theorizing.
- closing time noun Used to suggest that a deadline for action is imminent.
- closure noun A feeling of completeness; the experience of an emotional conclusion, usually to a difficult period.
- cloth noun Substance or essence; the whole of something complex.
- clothe verb To cover or invest, as if with a garment.
- clotheshorse noun A person excessively concerned with the appearance of their clothing.
- cloud noun Anything unsubstantial.
- clouded adj Unclear; surrounded in mystery.
- cloudiness noun Of information, a writing style, etc.: the property of being obscure.
- clown car noun Any process with a comically large number of participants, especially participants who themselves are comical or ridiculous.
- clown school noun An institution, program, or organization that is viewed as unprofessional, incompetent, or a complete joke.
- clown world noun A crazy world or environment.
- clueless adj Lacking knowledge or understanding; uninformed; oblivious.
- co-father verb To co-create
- coachfellow noun A comrade.
- coalface noun A place where difficult or strenuous work is done.
- coarse-grained adj Inelegant; gross.
- coast verb To make a minimal effort; to continue to do something in a routine way, without initiative or effort.
- coattail noun Success of a figure, organization or movement that transfers to those who associate with it.
- cobbler noun Nonsense.
- cobhouse noun A flimsy arrangement or structure.
- cobweb noun Something thin and unsubstantial, or flimsy and worthless; valueless remainder.
- cobwebbiness noun Oldness; datedness.
- cobwebby adj Old or dated.
- cock a snook verb To flout or show disrespect to.
- cockhorse adj Lofty in feeling; exultant, proud, upstart.
- cockle noun Chiefly in cockles of someone's heart: a person's innermost feelings.
- cockpit noun A site of conflict; a battlefield.
- cocktail noun A mixture of other substances or things.
- cocoon verb To envelop in a protective case.
- cocoonlike adj Comfortably isolating.
- coda noun A conclusion (of a statement or event, for example), final portion, tail end.
- code red noun A condition of immediate urgency.
- coelacanthine adj Extremely old-fashioned or atavistic.
- coffined adj Dead or locked up and without agency.
- cohere verb To be consistent as part of a group, or by common purpose.
- coiffured adj Resulting from elaborate training or construction.
- coil noun Entanglement; perplexity.
- coin noun That which serves for payment or recompense.
- coin of the realm noun Something that is valued like money within a particular context.
- coin toss noun An uncertain selection between two outcomes of similar likelihood, or between two objects of similar quality.
- cold noun A harsh place; a place of abandonment.
- cold shower noun Something unexpected and often unpleasant which makes one take stock or reconsider something; a sudden change or turn of events.