lodestone pines away with age

Categories: Comparisons

An historical example of simile in scientific writing:

"A loadstone loses some attractive power, and, as it were, pines away with age, if exposed too long to the open air instead of being laid in a case with filings or scales of iron."

William Gilbert

Gilbert, W. (1600/2016). On the Magnet, Magnetic Bodies, and the Great Magnet of the Earth. A new science, with many both arguments and experiment proofs. (V. Wilmont, Trans.).

Read about similes in science

Read about examples of science similes

Many examples of science similes are listed in 'Creative Comparisons: Making Science Familiar through Language. An illustrative catalogue of figurative comparisons and analogies for science concepts'. Free Download.

Author: Keith

Former school and college science teacher, teacher educator, research supervisor, and research methods lecturer. Emeritus Professor of Science Education at the University of Cambridge.