metaphor noun
ADJ. appropriate, apt, striking | mixed
VERB + METAPHOR use He uses the metaphor of fire to represent hatred.
METAPHOR + VERB describe sth, represent sth
PREP. ~ for ‘This vale of tears’ is a metaphor for the human condition. | ~ of the metaphor of life as a journey
You can also check other dicts: metaphor (English, 中文解释 ), wordnet sense, Collins Definition