Glassily

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Marius Hancu - 05 May 2009 08:58 GMT

Hello:

"Glassily," would your first take for it be one of "dull," "apathetic"
or of "close to laughter, with tears ready to flow (of laughter)?"

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[A notice by the housemaster has been "decorated" by one of the students
and the others are watching the result on the noticeboard]

On the corner of this grubby fiat Stringham, some days before, had drawn
a face in a red pencil. Several pairs of eyes were now resting glassily
on that outwards protest against the voice of authority.

A Dance to the Music of Time, Spring, by Anthony Powell, p. 9
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Thanks.
Marius Hancu

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James Hogg - 05 May 2009 13:26 GMT

>Hello:
>
>"Glassily," would your first take for it be one of "dull," "apathetic"
>or of "close to laughter, with tears ready to flow (of laughter)?"

This is with reference to a "glassy stare". The OED definition is
"Having a fixed unintelligent look, lacking fire or life, dull",
but I wouldn't read all those connotations into this example. I
think it's a fixed stare, lacking emotion.

>------
>[A notice by the housemaster has been "decorated" by one of the students
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>A Dance to the Music of Time, Spring, by Anthony Powell, p. 9
>------

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James

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Marius.Hancu@gmail.com - 05 May 2009 14:06 GMT

> This is with reference to a "glassy stare". The OED definition is
> "Having a fixed unintelligent look, lacking fire or life, dull",
> but I wouldn't read all those connotations into this example. I
> think it's a fixed stare, lacking emotion.

Thanks.
Marius Hancu

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Paul Wolff - 05 May 2009 16:47 GMT

>On Tue, 05 May 2009 03:58:38 -0400, Marius Hancu
><NOSPAM@videotron.ca> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>but I wouldn't read all those connotations into this example. I
>think it's a fixed stare, lacking emotion.

That's about it. The boys' faces are expressionless, but they are no
doubt aware of the implications of one of their number having defaced
the housemaster's notice.

>>------
>>[A notice by the housemaster has been "decorated" by one of the students
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>>A Dance to the Music of Time, Spring, by Anthony Powell, p. 9
>>------

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Paul

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Cece - 05 May 2009 21:51 GMT

> >>Hello:
>
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> --
> Paul

They all react to the "voice of authority" with MEGO

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Paul Wolff - 05 May 2009 22:42 GMT

>On May 5, 10:47 am, Paul Wolff <bounc...@two.wolff.co.uk> wrote:
>> >On Tue, 05 May 2009 03:58:38 -0400, Marius Hancu
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>
>They all react to the "voice of authority" with MEGO

No, they are reacting with resignation, which is hard to distinguish
from no reaction at all, to the presence of a subversive amongst them.
I've been there: you try to live quietly inside the jungle, but some
bugger won't stop shaking the trees to see what might fall out.

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Paul

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / May 2009

Glassily