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Usenet Posted 21 years ago
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Shabby-eyed
shabby-eyed
Would you say this means:
- not-particularly-beautiful, "ungenerous" eyes? (that would contradict "pretty young woman" in the text)
or
- poor in terms of vision / not sharp? (but that would contradict "disheartening intensity")
"We thought maybe you were in the plot," said Mrs. McKisco. She was a SHABBY-EYED, pretty young woman with a disheartening intensity. "We don't know who's in the plot and who isn't. One man my husband had been particularly nice to turned out to be a chief character practically the assistant hero."
http://www.gutenberg.net.au/ebooks03/0301261h.html Tender is the Night, by F. Scott Fitzgerald (Ch.2)
Thank you,
Marius Hancu
Would you say this means:
- not-particularly-beautiful, "ungenerous" eyes? (that would contradict "pretty young woman" in the text)
or
- poor in terms of vision / not sharp? (but that would contradict "disheartening intensity")
"We thought maybe you were in the plot," said Mrs. McKisco. She was a SHABBY-EYED, pretty young woman with a disheartening intensity. "We don't know who's in the plot and who isn't. One man my husband had been particularly nice to turned out to be a chief character practically the assistant hero."
http://www.gutenberg.net.au/ebooks03/0301261h.html Tender is the Night, by F. Scott Fitzgerald (Ch.2)
Thank you,
Marius Hancu
Top answer
[nq:1]shabby-eyed Would you say this means: - not-particularly-beautiful, "ungenerous" eyes? (that would contradict "pretty young woman" in the text) or ... html Tender is the Night, by F.
- [nq:1]shabby-eyed Would you say this means: - not-particularly-beautiful, "ungenerous" eyes?
- (that would contradict "pretty young woman" in the text) or ...
- html Tender is the Night, by F.
- 2)[/nq] Neither.
- Fitzgerald is a pretty good writer, says me.
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13 Answers
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[nq:1]shabby-eyed Would you say this means: - not-particularly-beautiful, "ungenerous" eyes? (that would contradict "pretty young woman" in the text) or ... turned out to be a chief character practically the assistant hero." http://www.gutenberg.net.au/ebooks03/0301261h.html Tender is the Night, by F. S
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[nq:1]Neither. Fitzgerald is a pretty good writer, says me. He makes up an adjective to describe how her eyes looked. ... means, and he expects us to form an idea instantly. I did, and I think they looked like Mary-Louise Parker's.[/nq]
I wouldn't know Mary-Louise Parker from Nicolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky, bot to me shaby-eyed suggest the end of an all-night party bleary-eyed, with the additio
I wouldn't know Mary-Louise Parker from Nicolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky, bot to me shaby-eyed suggest the end of an all-night party bleary-eyed, with the additio
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[nq:1]shabby-eyed Would you say this means: - not-particularly-beautiful, "ungenerous" eyes? (that would contradict "pretty young woman" in the text) or ... out to be a chief character practically the assistant hero." http://www.gutenberg.net.au/ebooks03/0301261h.html Tender is the Night, by F. Scott Fi
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[nq:2]shabby-eyed Would you say this means: - not-particularly-beautiful, "ungenerous" eyes? ... Tender is the Night, by F. Scott Fitzgerald (Ch.2) [/nq]
[nq:1]You're right that the ordinary meanings of "shabby" don't fit. There's no close meaning in my slang dictonaries except for ... that was short-lived. I would just make a note that there was something unusual about her eyes and keep readi
[nq:1]You're right that the ordinary meanings of "shabby" don't fit. There's no close meaning in my slang dictonaries except for ... that was short-lived. I would just make a note that there was something unusual about her eyes and keep readi
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[nq:2]You're right that the ordinary meanings of "shabby" don't fit. ... there was something unusual about her eyes and keep reading.[/nq]
[nq:1]My take would be that the look in her eyes suggested she would have a shabby reputation; that is, she would be thought of as a girl who was something like indiscriminately sexually promiscuous.[/nq]
I associate "shabby" with worn and used, like th
[nq:1]My take would be that the look in her eyes suggested she would have a shabby reputation; that is, she would be thought of as a girl who was something like indiscriminately sexually promiscuous.[/nq]
I associate "shabby" with worn and used, like th
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Perhaps someone should tell her husband.
Merriam-Webster allows "shabby" to be defined as "mean, ungenerous, unfair, contemptible" or "inferior in quality." It was probably intended to be Donna's short lived slang, or she had bad vision, or she looked at people in an ungenerous way that made them feel contemptible. Note the "disheartening intensity" to Mrs. McKisco's "look."
Mike
Merriam-Webster allows "shabby" to be defined as "mean, ungenerous, unfair, contemptible" or "inferior in quality." It was probably intended to be Donna's short lived slang, or she had bad vision, or she looked at people in an ungenerous way that made them feel contemptible. Note the "disheartening intensity" to Mrs. McKisco's "look."
Mike
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Donna Richoux now points out that she didn't write anything that follows.
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[nq:2]You're right that the ordinary meanings of "shabby" don't fit. ... there was something unusual about her eyes and keep reading.[/nq]
[nq:1]My take would be that the look in her eyes suggested she would have a shabby reputation; that is, she would be thought of as a girl who was something like indiscriminately sexually promiscuous.[/nq]
I'd be inclined to think of the "no longer new,
[nq:1]My take would be that the look in her eyes suggested she would have a shabby reputation; that is, she would be thought of as a girl who was something like indiscriminately sexually promiscuous.[/nq]
I'd be inclined to think of the "no longer new,
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[nq:1]I'd be inclined to think of the "no longer new, no longer fresh" meaning of shabby and translate Fitzgerald's usage as "world weary" or something like that.[/nq]
Thank you all. Quite a variety in answers.
Marius Hancu
Thank you all. Quite a variety in answers.
Marius Hancu
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Donna Richoux now points out that she didn't write anything that follows.
[nq:1]been the[/nq]
[nq:2]My take would be that the look in her eyes ... as a girl who was something like indiscriminately sexually promiscuous.[/nq]
[nq:1]Perhaps someone should tell her husband. Merriam-Webster allows "shabby" to be defined as "mean, ungenerous,unfair, contemptible" or "inferior in quality." ..
[nq:1]been the[/nq]
[nq:2]My take would be that the look in her eyes ... as a girl who was something like indiscriminately sexually promiscuous.[/nq]
[nq:1]Perhaps someone should tell her husband. Merriam-Webster allows "shabby" to be defined as "mean, ungenerous,unfair, contemptible" or "inferior in quality." ..
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