The gold mountain

Let us analyse the expression “The gold mountain.” Is it a meaningful expression? We can understand the expression and imagine a gold mountain. Let us agree that if an expression is understandable, the expression is meaningful. It refers to a non-existing object since there is no gold mountain in this world. The American treasury has the largest share of gold, but that is not in a mountain shape. Can we use such an expression to explain something in real life? I have a friend who has several gold ornaments. One day, I went to her home and saw the ornaments had been piled up. “What is this? A gold mountain!” I asked. Here, the expression is used as a literary technique called hyperbole. We can say “He is sitting on the top of a gold mountain.” to mean the person is rich.