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Fifteen Thousand Useful Phrases

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A blind rage like a fire swept over him A book that rends and tears like a broken saw A breath of melancholy made itself felt like a chill and sudden gust from some unknown sea A cloud in the west like a pall creeps upward A cloud like a flag from the sky A cluster of stars hangs like fruit in the tree A confused mass of impressions, like an old rubbish-heap A cry as of a sea-bird in the wind A dead leaf might as reasonably demand to return to the tree A drowsy murmur floats into the air like thistledown A face as imperturbable as fate A face as pale as wax A face tempered like steel A fatigued, faded, lusterless air, as of a caged creature A few pens parched by long disuse A figure like a carving on a spire A fluttering as of blind bewildered moths A giant galleon overhead, looked like some misty monster of the deep A glacial pang of pain like the stab of a dagger of ice frozen from a poisoned well A glance that flitted like a bird A great moon like a red lamp in the sycamore A grim face like a carved mask A hand icily cold and clammy as death A heart from which noble sentiments sprang like sparks from an anvil A jeweler that glittered like his shop A lady that lean'd on his arm like a queen in a fable of old fairy days A life, a Presence, like the air A life as common and brown and bare as the box of earth in the window there A light wind outside the lattice swayed a branch of roses to and fro, shaking out their perfume as from a swung censer A lightning-phrase, as if shot from the quiver of infallible wisdom A list of our unread books torments some of us like a list of murders A little breeze ran through the corn like a swift serpent A little weed-clogged ship, gray as a ghost A long slit of daylight like a pointing finger A memory like a well-ordered cupboard A mighty wind, like a leviathan, plowed the brine A mind very like a bookcase A mystery, soft, soothing and gentle, like the whisper of a child murmuring its happiness in its sleep A name which sounds even now like the call of a trumpet A note of despairing appeal which fell like a cold hand upon one's living soul A purpose as the steady flame A question deep almost as the mystery of life A quibbling mouth that snapped at verbal errors like a lizard catching flies A radiant look came over her face, like a sudden burst of sunshine on a cloudy day A reputation that swelled like a sponge A ruby like a drop of blood A shadow of melancholy touched her lithe fancies, as a cloud dims the waving of golden grain A silver moon, like a new-stamped coin, rode triumphant in the sky A slow thought that crept like a cold worm through all his brain A smile flashed over her face, like sunshine over a flower A soft and purple mist like a vaporous amethyst A soft haze, like a fairy dream, is floating over wood and stream A soul as white as heaven A sound like the throb of a bell A stooping girl as pale as a pearl A sudden sense of fear ran through her nerves like the chill of an icy wind A sweet voice caroling like a gold-caged nightingale A thin shrill voice like the cry of an expiring mouse A thing of as frail enchantment as the gleam of stars upon snow A vague thought, as elusive as the smell of a primrose A vanishing loveliness as tender as the flush of the rose leaf and as ethereal as the light of a solitary star A voice as low as the sea A voice soft and sweet as a tune that one knows A white bird floats there, like a drifting leaf Against a sky as clear as sapphire Age, like winter weather Agile as a leopard Agitated like a storm-tossed ship Air like wine All around them like a forest swept the deep and empurpled masses of her tangled hair All like an icicle it seemed, so tapering and cold All my life broke up, like some great river's ice at touch of spring All silent as the sheeted dead All sounds were lost in the whistle of air humming by like the flight of a million arrows All that's beautiful drifts away like the waters All the world lay stretched before him like the open palm of his hand All unconscious as a flower Alone, like a storm-tossed wreck, on this night of the glad New Year An anxiety hung like a dark impenetrable cloud An ardent face out-looking like a star An ecstasy which suddenly overwhelms your mind like an unexpected and exquisite thought An envious wind crept by like an unwelcome thought An ideal as sublime and comprehensive as the horizon An immortal spirit dwelt in that frail body, like a bird in an outworn cage An impudent trick as hackneyed as conjuring rabbits out of a hat An indefinable resemblance to a goat An isle of Paradise, fair as a gem An old nodding negress whose sable head shined in the sun like a polished cocoanut An omnibus across the bridge crawls like a yellow butterfly An undefined sadness seemed to have fallen about her like a cloud An unknown world, wild as primeval chaos An unpleasing strain, like the vibration of a rope drawn out too fast And a pinnace like a flutter'd bird came flying from afar And a tear like silver, glistened in the corner of her eye And all our thoughts ran into tears like sunshine into rain And at first the road comes moving toward me, like a bride waving palms And Dusk, with breast as of a dove, brooded And eyes as bright as the day And fell as cold as a lump of clay And her cheek was like a rose And here were forests ancient as the hills And many a fountain, rivulet, and pond, as clear as elemental diamond, or serene morning air And melting like the stars in June And night, as welcome as a friend And silence like a poultice comes to heal the blows of sound And spangled o'er with twinkling points, like stars And the smile she softly uses fills the silence like a speech <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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