Metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them. (http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=metaphor). We use Metaphors in our every day life as a tool of communication to better explain how we feel or to paint a mental picture for the listener to better understand what it is we want to say. .
Everyday Metaphors.
Metaphors are used to clarify and brighten the effect of our words to the listener. For example, when someone says "time is money" they are trying to get their point across that one might be using their time unwisely and that every second lost, the money that could have been made is wasted. Time is not really a form of currency, but it is used in this aspect to illustrate the importance of it. One other example could be the phrase that one does not have their "head screwed in right". This does not literally imply that ones head is not screwed in correctly, but that their thought process is not right. Another metaphor commonly used is "living Large", this does not imply that someone is very large or they live large, it implies that one is very well off and is living a very glamorous and rich lifestyle. .
IFSM Metaphors.
In the field of Information Technology, metaphors are used frequently to explain a function or a purpose of an action in a way that the user could understand and relate to. For Example, the term "virus", does not imply a biological virus or a microbe like the flue that could cause illness. A computer virus although not being a biological virus, acts in the same manner as one. Its purpose is to infect a computer or a network much like an intrusive biological virus. Once a computer is infected by one, it creates problems that could cause ones computer not to function properly or to "crash". Some viruses can hide in the background and be very difficult to detect.