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Gamboler Posted 10 years ago
Vocabulary
Nailed by
This is the dialogue (taken from a British movie released in 1961):
There's a caravan up on that hill that overlooks our garden. Nailed by, who lives there is the original nosey-parker. He sits at his window all day long and watches everything.
What's the meaning of "nailed by"? Do you think that here it could mean "attached to it"?
NOTES: It's not "nearby" what he says; moreover "nearby" wouldn't make sense in the context because the old man lives in the caravan, not just "close to it".
I think that "nailed by" could indicate that he never leaves his caravan, that he's always there as if he were a part of it, but I am not sure if this expression makes sense for a native.
He is not saying the name of the man, as somebody could think (something like Neal Buy instead of nailed by, that sounds alike). I am sure because the name of this character in the movie is Joe Marshall.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
There's a caravan up on that hill that overlooks our garden. Nailed by, who lives there is the original nosey-parker. He sits at his window all day long and watches everything.
What's the meaning of "nailed by"? Do you think that here it could mean "attached to it"?
NOTES: It's not "nearby" what he says; moreover "nearby" wouldn't make sense in the context because the old man lives in the caravan, not just "close to it".
I think that "nailed by" could indicate that he never leaves his caravan, that he's always there as if he were a part of it, but I am not sure if this expression makes sense for a native.
He is not saying the name of the man, as somebody could think (something like Neal Buy instead of nailed by, that sounds alike). I am sure because the name of this character in the movie is Joe Marshall.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Top answer
It is the name of a character, described as a nosey-parker. com/dictionary/nosey%20parker
- It is the name of a character, described as a nosey-parker.
- com/dictionary/nosey%20parker
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8 Answers
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It is the name of a character, described as a nosey-parker. (I assume that is British for busybody)
Indeed, it is: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nosey%20parker
Indeed, it is: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nosey%20parker
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If it is indeed nailed by, it probably is one of those subtle British jokes, meaning the man is "nailed by" the window, and never leaves it. In England my mother-in-law had some nosey-parker neighbors whom we referred to as Mr. and Mrs. Pigface, because their noses were always pressed flat against the window for fear of missing something. Before that she had some dreadful neighbors w
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Without more context, I would say this is phrased as:
"There's a caravan up on that hill that overlooks our garden nearby. Who lives there is the original nosey-parker. He sits at his window all day long and watches everything."
I don't see this as "nailed by." That's just too offbeat to be used in a random movie line.
"There's a caravan up on that hill that overlooks our garden nearby. Who lives there is the original nosey-parker. He sits at his window all day long and watches everything."
I don't see this as "nailed by." That's just too offbeat to be used in a random movie line.
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Thanks, AlfeccaStars, but it's not the name of the character. His name is Joe Marshall. It is also referred in the cast. And of course, nosey-parker is the British word for the American "busybody".
See this (from the freedictionary.com):
nosey-parker
Noun, A person who meddles in the affairs of others, busybody, nosy-parker, quidnunc.
See this (from the freedictionary.com):
nosey-parker
Noun, A person who meddles in the affairs of others, busybody, nosy-parker, quidnunc.
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Yours would be a good option, Anonymous, if the full stop weren't after "overlooks our garden".
The man who is speaking stops after garden, Two seconds later he begins with "nailed by (or whatever it be) who lives there..." And I insist, I am sure it is not the name of the busybody, because he is called Joe Marshall.
The man who is speaking stops after garden, Two seconds later he begins with "nailed by (or whatever it be) who lives there..." And I insist, I am sure it is not the name of the busybody, because he is called Joe Marshall.
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I listened to it. The words are
. The old boy who lives there is the original nosey-parker.
. The old boy who lives there is the original nosey-parker.
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