Idioms are phrases that have a figurative meaning that is different from the literal meaning of the words. They are often idiomatic to a particular language or region.
* Example: "kick the bucket" means to die, but literally kicking a bucket doesn't mean anything.
Similes are figures of speech that compare two things using words like "like" or "as."
* Example: "He is as strong as an ox" compares the man's strength to the strength of an ox.
Here's a table to summarize the key differences:
| Feature | Idiom | Simile |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Figurative, different from literal | Figurative, based on comparison |
| Structure | Phrase | Sentence |
| Connectives | None | "like" or "as" |
| Example | "kick the bucket" | "He is as strong as an ox" |
In short: Idioms are fixed phrases with a figurative meaning, while similes are comparisons using "like" or "as".