List of metonyms
This article lists commonly-used metonyms. Since metonymy is a productive process, new metonyms will be coined and existing ones will fall into disuse.
Objects
| Word or phrase | Literal meaning | Metonymic meaning |
| bar | The bar in a courtroom that separates judges and lawyers from laypeople | All the lawyers licensed to practise law in a certain court or jurisdiction |
| bed | Furniture used for sleeping or reclining | Sexual relations between individuals |
| bench | The location in a courtroom where a judge sits when presiding over a court | All the judges of a court or jurisdiction; members of a judiciary; the presiding officer in a court |
| Footwear worn by soldiers | Combat troops deployed in a geographic area | |
| box office | A place where tickets are sold; including for films | Refers to measuring the popularity and financial success of a film. "The film is a hit at the box office." |
| brass | A metal alloy used for or in the manufacture of e.g. buttons, insignia and musical instruments | Military and police officers, often also referring to managers/bosses outside the uniformed |
| bullpen | The area of a baseball field used by relief pitchers to warm up for a game | A baseball team's roster of relief pitchers |
| cap | White silk hats given to players each time they played for the England national football team | A player's appearance in a game at the international level |
| china | A country | Chinese porcelain or other types of ceramic |
| city hall | A city's chief administrative building | Local government or, more pejoratively, government in general |
| corner office | An office on a building corner with more windows | Corporate leadership, or the Governor of Massachusetts |
| crown | A type of monarchical headwear | Monarchy, especially the British monarchy |
| dish | An item on which food is served or eaten | A course of a meal, or the foundation of a course |
| gun | A firearm | An assassin, mercenary or soldier |
| lead | A heavy metal used to manufacture ammunition | Bullets |
| mortal | Subject to death | Human |
| pink slip | A discharge notice; historically, a pink colored slip of paper in an employee's pay envelope | A layoff or termination of employment |
| press | A machine used to print newspapers | Journalists, reporters, or others who write or announce the news |
| record label | The circular label in the center of a vinyl record displaying the manufacturer's name | A music company involved in producing, marketing, and distributing music recordings and music videos |
| red tape | Tape that is coloured red | An over-bureaucratic process |
| Digging in the soil using a variety of tools or machines | Commencement of a construction project – usually one that is major or infrastructural | |
| slate | A writing tablet made of slate | A written record of a debt, particularly in a small shop or public house |
| suits | Business attire | Business executives and lawyers |
| sweat | Perspiration | Hard work |
| tongue | Oral muscle | A language or dialect |