Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
always feigning a bluff ignorance of the ways of fashion and the needs thus caus
English answer:
always pretending to know absolutely nothing about fashionable society
Added to glossary by
jerrie
Jul 13, 2004 08:39
20 yrs ago
English term
lillysmiley
always feigning a bluff ignorance of the ways of fashion and the needs thus caus
Non-PRO
English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
By midsummer, neither of the Colignacs had mentioned the need for a ladu's maid. Well, he certainly wouldn't, always feigning a bluff ignorance of the ways of fashion and the needs thus caused.
Responses
+5
5 mins
Selected
always pretending to know absolutely nothing about fashionable society ...
and the way one was supposed to act to be a part of it
It was all the rage to have a lady's maid, but he wasn't going to mention it, because he insisted on pretending that he knew absolutely nothing about current 'fashionable' trends, and the demands required to keep up with them.
hth
It was all the rage to have a lady's maid, but he wasn't going to mention it, because he insisted on pretending that he knew absolutely nothing about current 'fashionable' trends, and the demands required to keep up with them.
hth
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Graded automatically based on peer agreement."
+5
2 mins
Jonathan MacKerron
Native in English
&
English
Retired as of Jan 2019!
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
80
pretending to not understand
might fit
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Vicky Papaprodromou
2 mins
|
| agree |
Eva Karpouzi
14 mins
|
| agree |
Rajan Chopra
19 mins
|
| agree |
Alfa Trans (X)
7 hrs
|
| agree |
Milena Sahakian
2 days 6 hrs
|
+1
18 hrs
chica nueva
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
http://youtube/iraVWQu3Zf8
Native in: English (Variants: British, New Zealand)
Works in: Chinese to English
Related KudoZ points
:
12
all along pretending to be ignorant (in a bluff way) of the customs of fashion and their requirement
all along pretending to be ignorant (in a bluff way) of the customs of fashion and their requirements ('requirements/needs' here means he would need to spend money to hire a lady's maid)
feign = to pretend to feel something, usually an emotion eg You know how everyone feigns surprise when you tell them how old you are.
bluff = direct or too honest, often in a way that people find rude eg Despite her bluff manner, she's actually a very kind woman.
ways (sorry can't find a good explanation) perhaps this one:
ways = types of behaviour eg Over the years we've got used to his funny little ways.
the needs thus caused = the needs caused/brought about by (the ways of) fashion
always = all along
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Note added at 18 hrs 30 mins (2004-07-14 03:09:29 GMT)
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Cambridge Advanced Learner\'s Dictionary
feign = to pretend to feel something, usually an emotion eg You know how everyone feigns surprise when you tell them how old you are.
bluff = direct or too honest, often in a way that people find rude eg Despite her bluff manner, she's actually a very kind woman.
ways (sorry can't find a good explanation) perhaps this one:
ways = types of behaviour eg Over the years we've got used to his funny little ways.
the needs thus caused = the needs caused/brought about by (the ways of) fashion
always = all along
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Note added at 18 hrs 30 mins (2004-07-14 03:09:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Cambridge Advanced Learner\'s Dictionary
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