[hahy-pur-buh-lee] 
| 1. | obvious and intentional exaggeration. |
| 2. | an extravagant statement or figure of speech not intended to be taken literally, as “to wait an eternity.” |
| hy·per·bo·le (hī-pûr'bə-lē) n. A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect, as in I could sleep for a year or This book weighs a ton. [Latin hyperbolē, from Greek huperbolē, excess, from huperballein, to exceed : huper, beyond; see hyper- + ballein, to throw; see gwelə- in Indo-European roots.] |
An exaggerated, extravagant expression. It is hyperbole to say, “I'd give my whole fortune for a bowl of bean soup.”
hyperbole
a figure of speech that is an intentional exaggeration for emphasis or comic effect. Hyperbole is common in love poetry, in which it is used to convey the lover's intense admiration for his beloved. An example is the following passage describing Portia:Why, if two gods should play some heavenlymatchAnd on the wager lay two earthly women,And Portia one, there must be something elsePawned with the other, for the poor rudeworldHath not her fellow.(Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice)
Learn more about hyperbole with a free trial on Britannica.com.
bə
