metaphor
figure of speech in which one thing is asserted to be another when it is in fact not so, based on properties of the latter that apply to the former, pointing to similarity
persons leaving
leaving the stage or the visible to the public range (actor or figure)
Chinese wall
business term describing an information barrier
puppet master
stock character
echo chamber
media phenomenon when beliefs are amplified or reinforced by communication and repetition inside a closed system
alphabet soup
metaphor for excessive initialisms or acronyms
boat anchor
metaphor for outdated equipment
chink in one's armor
metaphor for an area of vulnerability
Ship of state
metaphor in The Republic by Plato, likening governance of a state to the command of a ship
City rhythm
metaphor for the regular coming and going in cities,
Get Out of Jail Free card
Card in Monopoly
third rail
political metaphor for topic that is not to be touched
toothpaste tube theory
metaphor
spoon class theory
Korean socioeconomic class analogy
cockroach
startup business that grows gradually and progressively
Ivory Tower
metaphor
moving the goalposts
phrase originating from goal sports, now describing by metaphor a kind of logical fallacy or debate tactic
interface metaphor
metaphors in computer science, for example an icon of a filing cabinet for "filestore"
fork in the road
metaphor for making a decision
Glass cliff
workplace phenomenon affecting women in leadership roles
Iron
metaphor used to refer to certain traits of the metal iron
red flag
metaphor for sign of problem
Right hand of God
Symbol of omnipotence of God
spring
political metaphor for periods of liberalization
Burning bush
biblical episode where Moses was appointed by God to lead the Israelites into Canaan
broken heart
metaphor for intense emotional/physical stress or pain one feels at experiencing great and deep longing
the blind leading the blind
metaphor
War chest
metaphor for any collection of tools or money intended to be used in a challenging or dangerous situation
thinking outside the box
metaphor for creative thinking that means to think differently, unconventionally, or from a new perspective
dark horse
metaphor
elephant in the room
obvious major problem that no-one mentions
body politic
Metaphor for social organism
epigenetic landscape
metaphor by Conrad Hall Waddington to illustrate embryonic development, specifically cellular differentiation
highbrow
noun, or adjective, synonymous with intellectual, and, as an adjective, a term also synonymous with elite, or generally carrying a connotation of high culture.
Sifting and winnowing
metaphor
tunnel vision
metaphor
sticky floor
a concept that complements that of a glass ceiling (see in Wikipedia)
data pump
installation by Wikimedia Germany
cuckoo's egg
metaphor for brood parasitism
carrot and stick
idiom that refers to a policy of offering a combination of rewards and punishment to induce behavior
chicken or the egg
philosophical paradox
primary rock
outdated concept of geology and metaphor
information explosion
rapid increase in the amount of published information or data
wing of the party
part of a political party representing a certain political direction within the organization
boiling frog
metaphor for the inability of people to react to significant changes that occur gradually
plain vanilla
Expression and metaphor
career ladder
metaphor for job promotion
dead metaphor
metaphor that has lost its original imagery and thereby ceased to be a metaphor proper