what are analogies?

Answer 1

They are sort of like comparisons.

For example, cat is to meow as dog is to bark.

Answer 2

analogy, noun, pl. -gies.
1. a likeness in some ways between things that are otherwise unlike; similarity. Ex. There is an analogy between the human heart and a pump. (SYN) resemblance, correspondence, equivalence.
2. comparison of such things. Ex. Historical analogies, as between Napoleon and Hitler, ought not to be carried too far.
3. (Biology.) correspondence of organs or other parts in function but not in structure and origin (distinguished from homology).
4. (Logic.) the inference that things alike in certain respects will be alike in others. Ex. a prediction based on the analogy of history. Deductions based on analogy are frequently open to doubt. Analogy ... proceeds on the basis of similarity between two situations. If the similarity is close enough, one may conjecture that a conclusion which holds in one situation should hold in the other (Scientific American).
5. (Mathematics.) proportion; agreement of ratios.
6. (Linguistics.) a. = analogical change. Ex. The similarity between words like "man" and "pan" sometimes causes children to make the analogy "mans" for "men."
b. the creation of a new word based on the pattern of an old one, as astronaut on the model of Argonaut.

Answer 3

An analogy is a relationshuip between a pair of words. Analogies show relationships between two pairs of words.
There are several types of analogies: synonyms, antonyms, function, cause-effect, part to whole, and type of relationships. Determine the relationship in the first pair of words. Then, choose the word that completes the analogy.

Example:GRACEFUL : CLUMSY :: HOT :COLD

Answer 4

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?analogy

1 : inference that if two or more things agree with one another in some respects they will probably agree in others
2 a : resemblance in some particulars between things otherwise unlike : SIMILARITY b : comparison based on such resemblance
3 : correspondence between the members of pairs or sets of linguistic forms that serves as a basis for the creation of another form
4 : correspondence in function between anatomical parts of different structure and origin -- compare HOMOLOGY
synonym see LIKENESS