Basic Details
Word: Personified
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: To give human qualities or traits to non-human things or ideas.
Synonyms: Embodied, Represented
Antonyms: Dehumanised, Abstracted
Idioms and Phrases
- To personify an idea: To make an abstract concept easier to understand by giving it a human form. Example: "The author chose to personify hope as a bright candle in the darkness."
- As fierce as a lion: While not directly using "personified," it implies giving human-like bravery or fierceness to animals. Example: "She felt as fierce as a lion when she stood up for her friends."
Usage Examples
Example 1: In the story, the sun was personified as a cheerful character that hugged the earth every morning.
Example 2: The poet personified time, describing it as an old man who slowly walked by.
Example 3: By personifying nature, the painter made the trees seem like they were dancing in the wind.
Fun Fact
Did you know that personification has been used in storytelling for centuries? Famous writers like William Shakespeare and Aesop popularised this technique with their unforgettable characters!
Famous Quote
"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." - Virginia Woolf
This quote underscores the idea of giving importance (a human quality) to the concept of dining, similar to how personification works.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "personified" mean?
a) To ignore feelings
b) To give human characteristics to non-human things
c) To make something less important
d) To confuse people
Answer: b) To give human characteristics to non-human things
2. Which of these is a synonym of "personified"?
a) Abandoned
b) Dehumanised
c) Embodied
d) Neglected
Answer: c) Embodied
3. What is an antonym of "personified"?
a) Recognised
b) Dehumanised
c) Celebrated
d) Imagined
Answer: b) Dehumanised
4. Which sentence uses "personified" correctly?
a) The book personified the moon as a wise old man who watched over the earth.
b) The dog personified his bone aggressively.
c) The teacher personified the class.
d) The athlete personified walking on the field.
Answer: a) The book personified the moon as a wise old man who watched over the earth.
5. In the phrase "to personify an idea," what does "personify" mean?
a) To explain difficult concepts
b) To make things funny
c) To give human traits to non-human concepts
d) To draw images
Answer: c) To give human traits to non-human concepts
