Figure of speech in telegraphist’s last cable (5)
I believe the answer is:
trope
'figure of speech' is the definition.
(trope can mean a figure of speech)
'telegraphist's last cable' is the wordplay.
'last' says to take the final letters.
'cable' becomes 'rope' (I've seen this in another clue).
The last letter of 'telegraphist' is 't'.
't'+'rope'='TROPE'
'in' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for trope that I've seen before include "figuratively speaking" , "Image, figure of speech" , "in a manner of speaking?" , "metaphor, perhaps" , "Word used in a figurative sense" .)