'Well ... welcome. My house is your house', his brow suddenly furrowed and he looked worried, 'although only in a metaphorical sense, you understand, because I would not, much as I always admired your straightforward approach, and indeed your forthright stance, actually give you my house, it being the only house I have, and therefore the term is being extended in an, as it were, gratuitous fashion --'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker pretends to offer hospitality but actually refuses to share his home, using a metaphorical extension of the phrase.
- In plain terms
- He says his house is yours only as a figure of speech, not literally.
- What can you take from it?
- Be aware of figurative language that may mask true intentions.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When do we use metaphor to soften a refusal?
- How does figurative language affect trust?
Another view
The humor may obscure the speaker's underlying reluctance.
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