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Wholegrain Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
to out with one's private thoughts...
The Confidence Man - Herman Melville
http://www.online-literature.com/melville/confidence-man/10
Upon this, the good merchant, after staring long and hard, and then rubbing his forehead, fell into meditation, at first uneasy, but at last composed, and in the end, once more addressed his companion: "Well, I see it's good to out with one's private thoughts now and then. Somehow, I don't know why, a certain misty suspiciousness seems inseparable from most of one's private notions about some men and some things; but once out with these misty notions, and their mere contact with other men's soon dissipates, or, at least, modifies them."
what does he mean by "to out with one's private thoughts now and then"?
the verb "out" doesn't seem to have an object although it should and should be private thoughts.
http://www.online-literature.com/melville/confidence-man/10
Upon this, the good merchant, after staring long and hard, and then rubbing his forehead, fell into meditation, at first uneasy, but at last composed, and in the end, once more addressed his companion: "Well, I see it's good to out with one's private thoughts now and then. Somehow, I don't know why, a certain misty suspiciousness seems inseparable from most of one's private notions about some men and some things; but once out with these misty notions, and their mere contact with other men's soon dissipates, or, at least, modifies them."
what does he mean by "to out with one's private thoughts now and then"?
the verb "out" doesn't seem to have an object although it should and should be private thoughts.
Top answer
to out with ... = to come out with ... = to express ...
- to out with ...
- = to come out with ...
- = to express ...
- Try reading Shakespeare!
- His characters are always outing and offing and awaying!!!
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2 Answers
0
to out with ...
= to come out with ...
= to express ...
Try reading Shakespeare! His characters are always outing and offing and awaying!!! (Let us away!)
It seems that this pattern occurs much more often when the missing verb is go or come.
These don't normally have objects because go and come are intransitive.
CJ
= to come out with ...
= to express ...
Try reading Shakespeare! His characters are always outing and offing and awaying!!! (Let us away!)
It seems that this pattern occurs much more often when the missing verb is go or come.
These don't normally have objects because go and come are intransitive.
CJ
00
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