I disagree. It's easy to see why "straight man" doesn't make sense in this situation if you try to explain to me how it makes sense. I can't. I can explain how "devil's advocate" makes sense though: it means arguing the opposition to an idea not because you necessarily disagree, but because you want to explore the negatives/other possibilities. What does "straight man" mean to you?

> The former applies to comedy performances

Correct.

> the latter applies to biblical characters.

Incorrect. If you think this, you're confusing a metaphor's literal interpretation with its meaning.

"Have a nice day" isn't a metaphor, at this point it seems you're being purposefully obtuse.

Have a nice day!

All you have to do is change "comedy duo" to "coworker pair" and "jokes" to "explanation of architecture."

> devils advocate: the popular title of the person appointed by the Roman Catholic Church to challenge a proposed beatification or canonization, or the verification of a miracle

All you have to do is change "person appointed by the Roman Catholic Church" to "coworker" and "challenge a proposed beatification or canonization" to "challenge another person's ideas."

> purposefully obtuse

Is that worse than being unintentionally obtuse, like you're doing?

By the way, have you tried just looking up the word "metaphor?"

> a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.

Do you see the words at the end? "Not literally applicable."

But that doesn't work, because it requires changing the meaning/imagery of the metaphor beyond what regular people would recognize. You know, what actually happened in the situation of the original post.

Yes, I can change "straight man" to "spaceship" and "jokes" to "launch into space", but it'd be almost as nonsensical.

> By the way, have you tried just looking up the word "metaphor?"

Yes. Note you misunderstand the definition you quoted. Let me say it once more, then we're done: the CONTEXT of a metaphor is not ITS LITERAL MEANING, so quit yapping about literalness. Context matters. "Straight man" doesn't have the required context, "devil's advocate" does.

I don't expect you to acknowledge what I'm saying. At this point I must assume your ego won't let you budge an inch. Have a nice day! (which is not a metaphor, by the way).