What is the definition of hyperbole?

A hyperbole is a literary device that is meant to exaggerate details; this is used for emphasis both in writing and in real life.

When writers use this literary device in their writing, it is to emphasize the point in their writing. Writers do this all the time to show the reader an exaggerated version of a scene.

Below is an excerpt from one of Paul Bunyan's famous stories, "Babe the Blue Ox."

Well now, one winter it was so cold that all the geese flew backward and all the fish moved south and even the snow turned blue.

As you can imagine, the geese are not literally flying backwards, and the snow is not turning blue. However, Paul purposely tells his story this way to place emphasis on how cold the winter was.