served up

English translation: unnatural smile

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:served up
Selected answer:unnatural smile
Entered by: Kim Metzger

13:12 Feb 25, 2005
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Fiction
English term or phrase: served up
It was almost winter.
'Lawnmower is it? It's the wrong time of year for a lawnmower. Where have you come from?' she asked.
He was a sad little man with gentle eyes. 'Just looking for work.' His smile was served up and dropped too quickly.
'I've no need of you,' she said.
Alexander Alexandrov
Russian Federation
Local time: 23:34
unnatural
Explanation:
His smile did not come naturally, but was presented as though it was a service for a customer.
Selected response from:

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 14:34
Grading comment
Thank you, Kim and all others!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5Saying
David Moore (X)
4 +1produced, forced
Louise Gough
4unnatural
Kim Metzger
4smiled to appear friendly
Arcoiris
4produced, delivered, dished up
jerrie
4a pretending smile
Clauwolf


  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
unnatural


Explanation:
His smile did not come naturally, but was presented as though it was a service for a customer.

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 14:34
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 277
Grading comment
Thank you, Kim and all others!
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
smiled to appear friendly


Explanation:
He smiled to appear friendly, not because he was really happy. Because it was not a real smile, it vanished from his face too quickly

Arcoiris
Local time: 21:34
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Saying


Explanation:
means "it was produced". In this case, it was produced - and removed - too quickly; in other words, there was little genuineness about it.

David Moore (X)
Local time: 22:34
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 44
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
produced, delivered, dished up


Explanation:
summoned up ..

Smile when you don't feel like smiling - if he is sad, and desperate for work, the smile would be an effort (to remain polite) .. perfunctory ... dredged up and delivered, only too disappear quickly in disappointment.

jerrie
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:34
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 96
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
produced, forced


Explanation:
It simply means that he produced a smile, but the fact that he "dropped it again quickly" probably means that it was a forced smile and he was unable to disguise the fact that he is not really happy.

Louise Gough
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:34
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Marie Andersson (Allen)
1 min
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11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
a pretending smile


Explanation:
:)

Clauwolf
Local time: 17:34
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 11
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