What does [STRIKE]it[/STRIKE][STRIKE] mean by[/STRIKE] 'figurative meaning' mean? What is the difference [strike]compared to[/strike] between it and "literal meaning"?
I am not a teacher.
Getting back to the matter at hand for a moment, it is now unfortunately the case that the use of the word 'literally' is acceptable when the speaker actually means 'figuratively'.
And I know this because I have read literally thousands of articles on the subject!