Which figure of speech is exemplified by the sentence 'He carried a strobe light and the responsibility for the lives of his men'?

• A. Metaphor
• B. Zeugma
• C. Irony
• D. Hyperbole

Answer: (B)

This sentence uses a single action that applies to two different ideas at once, a device where one word governs two meanings. Here, the verb carries is used with both a concrete object—“a strobe light”—and a weighty abstract sense—“the responsibility for the lives of his men.” The same word links two senses, one literal and one figurative, producing a compact, punchy effect. This is not a metaphor, which would replace one idea with another; it’s not irony, which would express meaning opposite to the surface sense; and it’s not hyperbole, which would exaggerate. So the best fit is a figure of speech that ties two different senses to a single verb: zeugma.