What is the figure of speech for had a stray dog not given them away

The figure of speech used in the phrase "had a stray dog not given them away" is called personification. Personification is a figure of speech where human qualities are attributed to non-human entities or inanimate objects. In this case, the stray dog is given the human-like ability to "give them away", meaning it revealed their presence or intentions.

To identify this figure of speech, you can follow these steps:

1. Understand the literal meaning: Read the phrase and understand its literal meaning. In this case, it describes a stray dog exposing or revealing something about "them."
2. Look for non-human entities with human traits: Identify any non-human entities that are being described with human attributes or abilities. In this case, the dog is being personified as it possesses the ability to "give them away," which is typically a human action.
3. Identify the figure of speech: On recognizing the human qualities attributed to a non-human entity, you can conclude that it is an instance of personification.

So, the figure of speech in the phrase "had a stray dog not given them away" is personification.