Meanings of speaking metaphorically in English

The policeman told him, but Arthur could only assume that he was speaking metaphorically.

Of course, I'm mostly speaking metaphorically, unless you do, in fact have air travel plans.

Again, he was not speaking metaphorically: Edwards was a true Western literalist in religious matters.

I wasn't speaking metaphorically, but of military strategy.

Yet Mrs Ebbutt, while speaking metaphorically about wifely duties, is not, as it turns out, speaking about that particular duty.

I was speaking metaphorically.

You are speaking metaphorically.

"Death is my life," I informed her, speaking metaphorically, and not entirely without irony.

'Louis,' she said at last, 'we were speaking metaphorically: I have half a mind to drown myself literally.'

"Of course I was speaking metaphorically."

"I'm speaking metaphorically," Jack said.

"Are you speaking metaphorically?"

1: Properly speaking fasting consists in abstaining from food, but speaking metaphorically it denotes abstinence from anything harmful, and such especially is sin.