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Discussion Groups / English Usage / February 2010Vachss: push a button against a wall
Hello: Is the usage of "against" here idiomatic? I think so, but seems rare. Better alternatives? --- The redhead pushed a button against the garage wall and the big door descended from the ceiling and closed behind us. Andrew Vachss, Strega, p. 133 ---- -- Thanks. Marius Hancu >Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >Andrew Vachss, Strega, p. 133 >---- I would have expected "on the garage wall". A literal interpretation of "against" suggests a hanging control box similar in principle to these: http://img.directindustry.com/images_di/photo-g/hanging-push-button-box-203081.jpg It might be possible to turn the box with the button to face the wall and then to push it against the wall. That might be done if it was necessary to do it one-handed and if the button was too hard to press with one finger or thumb, but I'm not convinced that this is what the author intended.  SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) >> Is the usage of "against" here idiomatic? I think so, but seems >> rare. Better alternatives? [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > press with one finger or thumb, but I'm not convinced that this is > what the author intended. I think "against" may be the button's location, not the way it was pushed: a button [which was] against the garage wall. That still fits with your idea of a hanging control box, which would explain the choice of "against" over "on". >Hello: > >Is the usage of "against" here idiomatic? I think so, but seems rare. >Better alternatives? I would expect "pushed the button on the garage wall". That describes the button that closes my garage door. >--- >The redhead pushed a button against the garage wall and the big door >descended from the ceiling and closed behind us. > >Andrew Vachss, Strega, p. 133 >---- SignatureTony Cooper - Orlando, Florida > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Andrew Vachss, Strega, p. 133 > ---- BrE against or 'agin' simply means beside or close to where I come from (English Midlands) |
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