Meaning of "Keep a lid on and out fly the barbs"?
Hello everyone. I am reading a novel, and I came across this expression. Could you please let me know its meaning?
[Clara speaking] “Now this is getting really awkward, Printz. Is this another Vishnukrishnu Vindalu moment?”
Keep a lid on and out fly the barbs, I thought.
[The protagonist speaking] “You mean my silence?” I asked.
[Clara speaking] “I meant your staring. But the silence too.”
[The protagonist speaking] “Let’s change the subject, then,” I said.
[Clara speaking] “And run away? No, talk to me about awkwardness. I want to learn.”
- André Aciman, Eight White Nights, Fourth Night
This is a novel published in the United States of America in 2010. This novel is narrated by the nameless male protagonist who meets Clara at a Christmas party in Manhattan. Three nights after the party, while the protagonist was talking to Clara, he becomes quiet. And Clara is feeling awkward at his staring and silence.
In this part, I wonder what the underlined expression means.
I guess "keep a lid on" might mean "allow the cover to remain on top of something", but I cannot guess what "out fly the barbs" might mean.
I assume "out fly" is an inverted form of "fly out", to mean "emit the barbs (=harsh remarks?)", but I am not sure... Or would it be "outfly"? I wonder.
Thank you very much for your help.
Top answer
It is nonsense in English. It has the feel of a proverb in another language translated directly. " Curious Reader I guess "keep a lid on" might mean "allow the cover to remain on top of something" That's how I see it.
- It is nonsense in English.
- It has the feel of a proverb in another language translated directly.
- " Curious Reader I guess "keep a lid on" might mean "allow the cover to remain on top of something" That's how I see it.
- There is an expression in English, "keep a lid on it", meaning to remain silent.
- )" Right, harsh remarks, I guess, but "out fly the barbs" is a product of a larger inversion from "and the barbs fly out".
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
It is nonsense in English. It has the feel of a proverb in another language translated directly. It might mean something like "The harder you try not to comment negatively, the more negative will be what you do say."
Curious ReaderI guess "keep a lid on" might mean "allow the cover to remain on top of something"
That's how I see it. There is an expres
0
Related Questions