In the current or any other speech, metaphor is a clichéd figure of speech. In the most common understanding, without even paying much attention, we hear people calling a person a "snake," "fox," or "slob," fearing that the sky might start pouring "chair legs" or that there might be a "traffic jam" on the roads, talking about a woman who put her husband’s two feet "in one shoe," threatening that they will "cut off the cough" or that they will "flash" a "puff" in the face of some annoying person.
What’s so strange about it? Whether a listener or a speaker, each of us delights in saying or listening to familiar meanings. As the nose suddenly becomes a "trunk," the attractive woman a "frigate," the little child a "seed," the huge hand a "paddle," the dishonorable a "donkey," and the clever one a "smart cookie," the seasoned everyday speakers literally feel at home, without being surprised by the fact that, exchanging meanings on the go, they encounter an entire army of bizarre things passing in front of them - and through their mouths -: snakes, foxes, elephants, paddles, shoes, wardrobes, donkeys.
[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]
