LessonsPurposes of Tashbih: Possibility, State, Degree, Reinforcement, Beautification, Disparagement and InversionQuiz

The six principal purposes are identified through the listener's informational need and the speaker's intended impact.

PurposeIntended effectSource image
PossibilityRemove seeming impossibilityMusk and gazelle blood
StateDescribe a conditionSun and stars
DegreeSpecify intensityBlack raven's feather
ReinforcementEstablish a judgmentBroken glass
BeautificationMake attractiveGazelle's eye
DisparagementMake repellentSatirical gestures

Inverted simile is a special reversal of expected comparative roles, usually for intensified praise; it is not simply another informational need in the table.

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Comparative table of all six purposes

Purposes of Tashbih: Possibility, State, Degree, Reinforcement, Beautification, Disparagement and Inversion

The six principal purposes are identified through the listener's informational need and the speaker's intended impact.

Inverted simile is a special reversal of expected comparative roles, usually for intensified praise; it is not simply another informational need in the table.