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FatcatXN Posted 19 years ago
Vocabulary
What does "beamed down into the room" mean?
I've been reading <The Great Gatsby>
The only picture was an over-enlarged photograph, apparently a hen sitting on a blurred rock. Looked at from a distance, however, the hen resolved itself into a bonnet, and the countenance of a stout old lady beamed down into the room.
Question 1:
Is it " old lady beamed down...." or "sth beamed old lady down" ?
Question 2:
What does "a stout old lady beamed down into the room" mean?
The only picture was an over-enlarged photograph, apparently a hen sitting on a blurred rock. Looked at from a distance, however, the hen resolved itself into a bonnet, and the countenance of a stout old lady beamed down into the room.
Question 1:
Is it " old lady beamed down...." or "sth beamed old lady down" ?
Question 2:
What does "a stout old lady beamed down into the room" mean?
Top answer
The picture was on the wall above the level of the eyes, so it seemed to look down on those in the room who were looking up at the picture. More specifically, the face of the old lady seemed to give off light as if the lady were looking down into the room. Strictly speaking, the lady didn't beam down into the room; her face beamed.
- The picture was on the wall above the level of the eyes, so it seemed to look down on those in the room who were looking up at the picture.
- More specifically, the face of the old lady seemed to give off light as if the lady were looking down into the room.
- Strictly speaking, the lady didn't beam down into the room; her face beamed.
- countenance = face to beam = to give off light CJ
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5 Answers
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The picture was on the wall above the level of the eyes, so it seemed to look down on those in the room who were looking up at the picture. More specifically, the face of the old lady seemed to give off light as if the lady were looking down into the room.
Strictly speaking, the lady didn't beam down into the room; her face beamed.
countenance = face
Strictly speaking, the lady didn't beam down into the room; her face beamed.
countenance = face
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Thanks to your reply.
So you mean "and the countenance of a stout old lady beamed down into the room" is the same as "and the countenance beamed down into the room" ?
But why not "and the countenance which beamed down into the room" ? I think this is the right one.
I need help.
So you mean "and the countenance of a stout old lady beamed down into the room" is the same as "and the countenance beamed down into the room" ?
But why not "and the countenance which beamed down into the room" ? I think this is the right one.
I need help.
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Another definition of "beam" is "to smile radiantly".
There is a picture on the wall. It is blurry, becaue it has been enlarged too much. At first, the narrator thinks it is a picutre of a hen sitting on a rock. From a greater distance, it becomes clear that the "hen" is in fact a bonnet, and the "rock" is the face of a woman. The face smiles down toward the room.
There is a picture on the wall. It is blurry, becaue it has been enlarged too much. At first, the narrator thinks it is a picutre of a hen sitting on a rock. From a greater distance, it becomes clear that the "hen" is in fact a bonnet, and the "rock" is the face of a woman. The face smiles down toward the room.
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>"sth beamed [the] old lady down"
Definitely wrong, if you do not mean beaming someone up as in:
Beam me up, Scotty
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beam_me_up,_Scotty
Definitely wrong, if you do not mean beaming someone up as in:
Beam me up, Scotty
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beam_me_up,_Scotty
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I also think it is the big 'beaming' radiant smile. This is often used in the sense of beaming on something, so into the room sounds good to me.
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