What is the figure of speech used in this sentence- The rancher hired three new hands to help with branding cattle?

The figure of speech used in the sentence "The rancher hired three new hands to help with branding cattle" is a metonymy.

Here's why:

* Metonymy is a figure of speech where a word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated.

* In this case, "hands" is used to refer to cowboys or workers.

The word "hands" is associated with the work that cowboys do – working with their hands to brand cattle. By using "hands" instead of "cowboys," the sentence creates a more concise and evocative image.