Some concepts in speech can have such diverse meanings, depending on the context and environment of use, that raise a number of questions about the appropriateness and correctness of an expression with them. One such “stumbling block” is the word “figure”. It can be used in everyday speech, in the exact sciences, logical games, in revolutions of works of art, as well as in phraseological units. How to understand what meaning is implied in each specific situation? Consider the most common cases of using the word in more detail.
Value
Five to ten different meanings of the word “figure” can be distinguished. The most common ones are:
- The external shape or form of a person. In other words, physique. Example: “Dita von Teese has an hourglass figure type.
- The image of a person / animal in a sculpture or painting. Example: "Wax figures of Hollywood celebrities on display at Madame Tussauds."
- In geometry, this is the part of a plane bounded by a line, or a collection of points and surfaces. Example: "A triangle shape is formed by the intersection of three lines with the formation of three internal angles."
- A subject of a given form, used when playing chess, towns. Example: "He slowly arranged the pieces on the board, concentrated and started playing."
- Drawings, patterns and shapes that form objects arranged in a specific order. Example: "Figures of bizarre shapes appeared in a kaleidoscope with the slightest shaking, giving the feeling of a fairy tale and the euphoria of creativity."
- A stylistic device in literary criticism. Example: "To enhance the expressiveness of what has been said, such figures as inversion, antithesis, epiphora, anaphora are used."
- The meaning of the word “figure” can also be figurative. Such cases include the following:
- An artistic image created in literature or by an actor on stage. Example: "You can not underestimate the figure of the father in the development of the plot of the tale of Cinderella."
- An important person or person in culture or politics. Example: “Mother Teresa can be called a figure of world significance. For all, she has become a symbol of sacrifice and kindness . ”
Etymology
The word "figure" comes from the Latin figura, denoting the image or appearance of something. Outdated values include its use in astrology. For example, the “figure of the Earth" as its external shape. The Latin verb fingere, meaning “to form, touch, or invent,” also underlies the origin of the meanings of the word. In pre-Indo-Jewish, it was associated with "knead, sculpt from clay." What is a “figure” and how did the word appear with us? In Russian, it came from Polish (figura). It was first mentioned by Peter I in the meaning of "plastic figure".
Synonyms
Words with similar or identical meanings make it possible to more fully reveal and expand the possibilities of using one or another concept. What is a "figure" in the literal and figurative sense, has already been considered. And what other words will give the same meaning to expand the stylistic possibilities of speech? These include: person, personality, person, figure, example, texture, turnover, ace, subject, image, type, technique, image, image, position, constitution (physique), pirouette, etc.
Each of the above words can replace the word “figure” in one context or another without prejudice to the meaning.
Stable phrases and phraseological units
An “important figure” is used to characterize a person or image playing social, political and cultural roles in a given environment. It can sometimes be ironic.
“Key figure” is used to indicate the leading role of an individual or character in life, artwork or on stage. Enhances the imagery of the statement.
“The figure of speech”, “stylistic / rhetorical figure” refer to literary devices and are stable terms-phrases.
Phraseologisms allow a more capacious, emotional and accurate expression of the speaker's attitude to a phenomenon, concept or person. What is a “figure” becomes even clearer from the above examples of stable expressions.
Some concepts can lead to confusion in understanding due to the abundance of contexts of use. Location, image, turnover, subject, character, shape - any of these words can successfully replace the synonym “figure”. The choice of alternative dictates the scope and context. What is a figure, was considered in the most common cases of use. They will allow you to take another step in expanding your vocabulary.