Phrases with "as a" in the middle (7)
I believe the answer is:
similes
'phrases with as a in the middle' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for similes that I've seen before include "Figures of speech such as 13 across and 4 down" , "Missile directed at figures of speech" , "Figures of speech showing resemblance between things" , "Figure of speech" .)