Final answer:
A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things with the use of 'like' or 'as', whereas a metaphor makes a direct comparison without these words.
Step-by-step explanation:
A figure of speech comparing two unlike things using "like" or "as" is known as a simile. This literary device makes a comparison to show similarities between two different things. For example, the simile in the sentence 'Their cheeks were as red as cherries' compares the redness of cheeks to cherries using the word 'as'.
Similes are different from metaphors, as metaphors make a direct comparison without the use of 'like' or 'as'. While a metaphor would say 'Hope is a thing with feathers', indicating that hope is directly comparable to a bird, a simile would say 'Hope is like a thing with feathers', suggesting the similarity but maintaining distinction between the two compared entities.