/ˈfɪgərətɪv ||; ˈfɪgjərətɪv/adj (abbr fig) (used about a word or an expression) not used with its exact meaning but used for giving an imaginative description or a special effect （指词或词组）比喻的: ‘He exploded with rage’ is a figurative use of the verb ‘to explode’. He exploded with rage这一句话里的动词explode是比喻用法。 ☞Look at literal and metaphor. 参看literal及metaphor。 ➔figuratively adv