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The hall is packed to the rafters with people come to gape

English translation: See explanation

14:10 Nov 2, 2009

English to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting / sentence explanation

English term or phrase: The hall is packed to the rafters with people come to gape

Here the sentence I wonder how to understand like this :" The hall is packed to the rafters with people come to gape."

Thank you!

macky KudoZ activity Questions: 235 (2 open) (5 without valid answers) (1 closed without grading) Answers: 3 China
Local time: 01:20

English translation:See explanation

Explanation:
The hall is as full as it can be with people (literally, the people are piled to the roof joists) who have all come to look. "Gape" suggests that they've come to stare with open mouths, in awe or wonder.

Selected response from:

Vicky Nash
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:20

Grading comment

Thank you for help!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

5 +18

See explanation

Vicky Nash

see below.

Yasutomo Kanazawa

Answers

4 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +18

the hall is packed to the rafters with people come to gape

See explanation

Vicky Nash
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:20
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

Thank you for help!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Sheila Wilson: great explanation

1 min

-> Thanks :)

agree

cmwilliams

6 mins

-> Thanks :)

agree

kmtext

13 mins

-> Thanks :)

agree

Maria Fokin

29 mins

-> Thanks :)

agree

Jim Tucker

37 mins

-> Thanks :)

agree

Liam Hamilton

40 mins

-> Thanks :)

agree

Stephanie Ezrol

48 mins

-> Thanks :)

agree

Katalin Horvath McClure

57 mins

-> Thanks :)

agree

Samantha Payn

1 hr

-> Thanks :)

agree

Charlesp

1 hr

-> Thanks :)

agree

B D Finch: Good explanation, even though the rafters are the sloping timbers in the slope of the roof (i.e. not joists).

1 hr

-> Whoops, you got me, sorry, not an architect!

agree

Jenni Lukac: BD is correct, but otherwise a great explanation!

1 hr

-> Thanks :)

agree

eski: Fine explanation: saludos! :)) eski

2 hrs

-> Thanks :)

agree

Patricia Townshend

2 hrs

-> Thanks :)

agree

Goldcoaster

3 hrs

-> Thanks :)

agree

Travelin Ann

8 hrs

-> Thanks :)

agree

urbom

20 hrs

-> Thanks :)

agree

Mary O’Connor

1 day7 hrs

-> Thanks :)

8 mins confidence:

the hall is packed to the rafters with people come to gape see below.

Explanation:
The hall is packed with a large number of different people or things where the spectators come and stare in wonder or amazement with their mouth open.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/rafter
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/gape

Yasutomo Kanazawa
Japan
Local time: 02:20
Native speaker of:

Japanese