the repetition of the same sound at the beginning of successive words 

picked a peck of pickled peppers

the repetition of similar vowel sounds preceded and followed by different consonants

mellow wedding bells

the repetition of consonant sounds in juxtaposed words

able body sailors aboard a boat

the use of harsh and discordant sounds in a section of text

clinching interlocking claws

the use of pleasant sounding sounds in a section of text

cellar door

the use of similar structures in two or more clauses

I began to look for rhetorical devices in books, in movies, and in songs

the use of parallel elements similar not only in structure, but also in length (words/syllables)

Many will enter. Few will win.

the grammatical structure of the first clause or phrase is reversed in the second

Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.

the juxtaposition of contrasting ideas

To err is human; to forgive divine. 

the arrangement of words in order of importance or power

I spent the day cleaning my house, reading poetry, and putting my life in order.

the arrangement of words in order of decreasing importance or power

Die and endow a college or a cat.

the latter part of a phrase is surprising in a way that causes the reader to reframe the first part

Where there's a will, I want to be in it.

the repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses

We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail.

the repetition of the same word or group of words at the end of successive clauses

What I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child.

the repetition at the end of a clause of the word that started the clause

Blood hath bought blood, and blows answer'd blows.

the repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the following clause

Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.

emphasizing a strong point by repeating it several times in different words

...expelled, thrust out, banished, and cast away from the city.

the repetition of the same idea in different words or phrases; saying the same thing twice

If you don't get any better, you'll never improve.

a lack of grammatical sequence or a change in construction within the sentence 

Had ye been there - for what could that have done?

the inversion of the natural word order

This is the forest primeval.

the insertion of words or phrases that are not syntactically related to the rest of the sentece

I hope (not that I really care) that this is all making sense to you.

the placing of two elements side by side in which the second defines the first

Rhetoric, the art of persuasion using language, is so cool.

the inversion of the natural sequence of events to stress the event which is most important

locked and loaded

the deliberate omission of words which are readily implied by the context

Fire when ready.

the placement of two contrasting ideas next to each other for comparison

This classroom is sweltering while the hallway is ice cold.

the deliberate omission of conjunctions between a series of related clauses

I came, I saw, I conquered.

the deliberate use of more conjunctions than necessary to produce a hurried rhythm

I ate two tacos and a burrito and a chimichanga and three nacho platters and a salad.

a comparison of two unlike objects without using like, as, than, or resembles

He is a pig.

a comparison of two unlike objects using like, as, than, or resembles

She is as fast as a cheetah.

drawing attention to something while pretending to pass it over.

I won't even mention how annoying it is when students don't study.

addressing directly some person, idea, or place that cannot actually respond

Oh Walter Payton, you glorious school. How I love to spend time in your hallways. 

the substitution of some attributive or suggestive word for what is actually meant

The top brass remain in support of the Iraq War.

a figure of speech in which a part stands for the whole or the whole stands for the part 

Green Bay beat Chicago again.

referring to a person, idea, event, etc. from art, culture, or history to get across an idea

She is the Britney Spears of our school.

talking about a subject in a manner that elevates that subject to the status of a god

Brett Favre can throw a football as if he has the arms of Zeus.

an extended metaphor in which a story is told to illustrate an important attribute of the subject

A story about love where Innocent meets up with Attraction, Commitment, Betrayal, and Pity.

the substitution of one part of speech for another, often turning a noun into a verb

I'll unhair thy head.

the substitution of a descriptive word or phrase for a proper name or vice versa

Bring a box of Kleenex to class.

the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague term for a harsh, blunt, or offensive one

The schoolmaster corrected the slightest fault with his birch reminder.

the use of an older or obsolete form of a word

Thou art a sly one.

the use of words that sound like their meaning

Bang, zip, ruff, meow, kaplooee

the use of one word, usually a verb, to govern or "yoke" several congruent words or clauses.

She conquered shame with passion, fear with audacity, reason with madness.

a form of a pun in which a word is repeated in two different senses

If you aren't fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm. 

a form of a pun that uses words alike in sound but different in meaning

Heralds don't pun; they cant.

a form of a pun in which a single word is used to modify two other words in different ways

He carried a strobe light and the responsibility for the lives of his men.

the use of words or phrases that invoke the senses

The sunset painted streaks of orange, red, and yellow across the sky.

the use of superfluous or redundant words

She slept a deep sleep.

exaggeration used for emphasis

Ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley wide enough to keep me from you.

emphasizing the magnitude of a statement by denying its opposite (understatement)

I didn't fail the test, but I wouldn't exactly call it my best performance.

the use of a word in such a way as to convey a meaning opposite to the literal meaning 

Frustrated by their constant questions about his mood, the teacher yelled, "I'm not upset."

witty language used to convey insults or scorn

No, really Timmy, I think Magic the Gathering is cool.

the use of two terms together that normally contradict each other

The laid together in the warmth of the newly fallen snow.

the use of apparently contradictory ideas to point out some underlying truth

That was the first time I had seen them alone together.

a sensory description that describes an experience in terms of the wrong sense

That shirt is loud.