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Simile is one of the most common tools of connectedness, readily available with syntactic schemata, such as »(X is) as Y as Z« – as cold as ice, and »X Verb like Y« – his face shone like the sun. It is traditionally considered as the first step to metaphor (»a sea of arms«, »oceans of room«). Both are instances of analogy. The keyword here is figurative. »She is as cold as ice« could be construed as »She's been dead for some time«. Most metaphors can be explained by resorting to the simile structure, but some will require a »linking statement«, especially if they are old or have been completely lexicalized, such as the teeth of a comb or »stiff« for a dead body. Resemblance is not a mandatory condition, since only one predicated feature is used for comparison. Other considerations are often involved, such as abstract/concrete and animate/inanimate. Metaphors contribute to polysemy.
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