analogy

Everyday

1. A comparison that explains one thing by showing how it is like another, for example saying the heart is like a pump. tree →
2. (school, olympiad) A puzzle of the form «A is to B as C is to D», like «hot is to cold as up is to down». tree →
3. A likeness between two things in some way. tree →

In the lessons

In science an analogy helps explain something hard with something familiar (electricity flowing like water in pipes). In English and reasoning tests, analogies are word puzzles where you find the same link between two pairs. Phrases: «draw an analogy», «by analogy», «a good analogy», «an analogy between».

Examples

• The teacher used the analogy of a pump to explain how the heart works. tree →
• Bird is to nest as bee is to hive — can you finish the analogy? tree →
• Comparing the eye to a camera is a common analogy. tree →
• By analogy with «sing, sang», some children say «bring, brang», but it is «brought». tree →
• There is an analogy between a city and an ant colony: both need workers and roads. tree →
• Our olympiad paper had ten analogy questions. tree →
• Every analogy breaks down somewhere: the heart is not really made of metal. tree →
• Hand is to glove as foot is to sock. tree →
• I fail to see much analogy. tree →

Note

Countable; plural «analogies» (y changes to ies). Adjective «analogous» (similar). An analogy shows likeness in one way, not that things are the same — a trap in arguments. In «A is to B as C is to D», find the link between A and B first, then apply the same link to C.

In Jewish tradition

Here it explains why some translators call the letters "elemental", by comparison with a Greek word. In the primary lessons: In science an analogy helps explain something hard with something familiar (electricity flowing like water in pipes). In English and reasoning tests, analogies are word puzzles where you find the same link between two pairs. Phrases: «draw an analogy», «by analogy», «a good analogy», «an analogy between».

Examples

• Certain translators have preferred to render otyot yesod as 'elemental letters' by analogy with the Greek term. (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation) tree →

Note

Countable; plural «analogies» (y changes to ies). Adjective «analogous» (similar). An analogy shows likeness in one way, not that things are the same — a trap in arguments. In «A is to B as C is to D», find the link between A and B first, then apply the same link to C.