personify

• POS: Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: per=son=i=fy

CIDE DICTIONARY

personify, v. t. [Person + -fy: cf. F. personnifier.].

•  To regard, treat, or represent as a person; to represent as a rational being.  [1913 Webster]

  "The poets take the liberty of personifying inanimate things."  [1913 Webster]
•  To be the embodiment or personification of; to impersonate; as, he personifies the law.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

personify, v.tr. (-ies, -ied)
1 attribute a personal nature to (an abstraction or thing).
2 symbolize (a quality etc.) by a figure in human form.
3 (usu. as personified adj.) embody (a quality) in one's own person; exemplify typically (has always been kindness personified).

Derivative

personifier n.

Etymology

F personnifier (as PERSON)

THESAURUS

personify

adumbrate, body, body forth, corporealize, corporify, demonstrate, emblematize, embody, epitomize, exemplify, exteriorize, externalize, figure, foreshadow, humanize, illustrate, image, impersonate, incarnate, incorporate, manifest, materialize, metaphorize, mirror, objectify, personalize, personate, prefigure, pretypify, project, realize, reembody, reflect, reincarnate, represent, shadow, shadow forth, similize, stand for, substantialize, substantiate, substantify, symbolize, transmigrate, typify

ROGET THESAURUS

personify

Metaphor

VB employ a metaphor, personify, allegorize, adumbrate, shadow forth, apply, allude to.

Representation

VB copy, drawing, sketch, drought, draft, plot, chart, figure, scheme, image, likeness, icon, portrait, striking likeness, speaking likeness, very image, effigy, facsimile, figure, figure head, puppet, doll, figurine, aglet, manikin, lay- figure, model, mammet, marionette, fantoccini, waxwork, bust, statue, statuette, ideograph, hieroglyphic, anaglyph, kanji, diagram, monogram, map, plan, chart, ground plan, projection, elevation (plan), ichnography, cartography, atlas, outline, scheme, view, radiograph, scotograph, sciagraph, spectrogram, heliogram, V, represent, delineate, depict, depicture, portray, take a likeness, catch a likeness, hit off, photograph, daguerreotype, snapshot, figure, shadow forth, shadow out, adumbrate, body forth, describe, trace, copy, mold, dress up, illustrate, symbolize, paint, carve, engrave, personate, personify, impersonate, assume a character, pose as, act, play, mimic, hold the mirror up to nature.