Question

literal vs metaphorical meaning

Answer 1

The term literal meaning denotes that all words are in strict accordance with their original meanings. In other words, to apply the literal meaning is to take the words in their most basic sense without metaphor or exaggeration.
For example John managed to escape the wolves.(In the literal meaning, John actually succeeded in getting away from some genuine wolves as opposed to, say, avoiding a verbal bashing at a meeting from aggressive colleagues.) 

metaphorical meaning means characteristic of or relating to metaphor;For example, "the curtain of night" or "all the world's a stage."