Fear gripped her like a vise.

Meaning: This means that the person was very scared and felt like they were being held tightly by fear.

Choice of Words: Fear is a feeling of being afraid or anxious, and gripped means to hold or grasp tightly. Her refers to the person who is experiencing the fear, and vise is a tool used to hold something tightly.

Alternative Expressions

The icy wind howled like a banshee.

Meaning: This means that the wind was very cold and it was making a sound that was like the wailing of a banshee.

Choice of Words: Icy means very cold. Wind is the movement of air. Howled means to make a loud, long sound. Banshee is a female spirit from Irish folklore that is said to wail when someone is about to die. So, the sentence "The icy wind howled like a banshee" means that the wind was very cold and it was making a loud, mournful sound.

The sun peeked over the horizon like a shy child.

Meaning: This means that the sun was just starting to rise and it looked like a shy child peeking out from behind something.

Choice of Words: Sun is the star at the center of our solar system that provides us with light and heat. Peeked means to look or appear briefly. Horizon is the line where the earth meets the sky. Shy means to be timid or reserved. Child is a young person. So, the sentence "The sun peeked over the horizon like a shy child" means that the sun was just starting to appear over the horizon, and it looked like a shy child peeking out from behind something.

Related Expressions