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The mathematical form of expressing an analogy is

2:4 :: 5:10

in which there are two pairs of numbers (2,4) and (5,10). A colon sign divides each pair of numbers,
while two colon signs divide the two pairs themselves.

The above mathematical statement means that the number 2 has the same relationship to the number 4
as the number 5 has to the number 10. You can easily recognize the relationship, which is that the first
number in each pair is equal to half of the second number in that pair.

The above mathematical statement may be read as "2 is to 4 just as 5 is to 10". The single colon stands
for the phrase "is to", while the double colon stands for the conjunction "just as".

A Verbal Analogy follows the same logic except that, instead of numbers, words are used to express
the analogical relationship.

A typical and simple verbal analogy is

kitten: cat :: pup: dog

You can easily understand and appreciate the relationship in this statement:
A kitten is a young cat, just as a pup is a young dog.


One more example is
sea: ocean :: stream: river

The analogical relationship between these two pairs of words can be expressed as:
"An ocean is a large sea, just as a river is a large stream".

Consider the analogy

king: palace :: nun : convent

The analogical relationship in this example is ''A king lives in a palace, just as a nun lives in a convent".

Another example is:

large: big :: poor: impecunious

The analogical relationship here is "The word 'big' is a synonym of the word 'large', just as the word
'impecunious' is a synonym of the word 'poor'".

You can notice that, in all the above examples except the last, the words in the analogical relationships
signify living or tangible items. In the last example, the words do not represent concrete _object_s, but
represent intangible ideas.

Therefore, an analogical relationship may encompass living beings including men and women,
as well as inanimate things or abstract ideas.