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Newguest Posted 15 years ago
Vocabulary

Sweeps sweep chimneys/field day etc.

Hi

A woman said about a certain canon:

Canon Thorby has been indescribably kind to me.

Someone else said:

And to me, bless him. To Tom, Dick and Harry, old

Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all. But it’s his profession.

Sweeps sweep chimneys. Canon Thorby does good. It must

have been a field day when he thought of sending you to

Jive with me. Both barrels and two birds.’

1. Is "sweeps sweep chimneys" some idiom? If it said he sweeps chimneys I would take it to mean he cleans dirty chimneys. Of course figuratively.

2. I understand that "field day" here means a day during which you do what you want?

3. I know that "jive" can mean "to chat". Is it probably what it means here?

4. "Both barrels and two birds". What is this person trying to say by this?
  

Top answer

Hi, A woman said about a certain canon: Canon Thorby has been indescribably kind to me. Someone else said: And to me, bless him. To Tom, and Harry, old Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all.

  • Hi, A woman said about a certain canon: Canon Thorby has been indescribably kind to me.
  • Someone else said: And to me, bless him.
  • To Tom, and Harry, old Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all.
  • But it’s his profession.
  • Sweeps sweep chimneys .
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2 Answers
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Hi,

A woman said about a certain canon:

Canon Thorby has been indescribably kind to me.

Someone else said:

And to me, bless him. To Tom, and Harry, old

Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all. But it’s his profession.

Sweeps sweep chimneys. Canon Thorby does good. It must

hav
0
Thanks for these explanations Clive!

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