Conceptual metaphor

A conceptual metaphor is the metaphor that is used very often without being stated clearly. It is often implied in many idioms. Usually the conceptual metaphor can be restated more clearly using the word "as" or making several more specific comparisons using the word "like" - both are called similes.

Some conceptual metaphors that are very common in English idioms:

• "Love" talked about as if it were "war" or another competition
• "Time" talked about as if it were the "path" through space, or the quantity that can be saved or spent or wasted