Vocabulary in The Fly

“Marvellously” is the British spelling of “marvelously." The British spelling of some common words in English often vary from their spelling in the United States.

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"It’s nutty!..." See in text (The Fly)

In context, “nutty” refers to the flavor of the whisky.

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"chaps..." See in text (The Fly)

“Chaps” refers to the fleshy covering of the jaw or the forepart of the face. Woodifield is rolling his whisky around in the front of his mouth.

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"sacrilege..." See in text (The Fly)

“Sacrilege” refers to the violation, misuse, or disrespect of something considered sacred. Saying that adding water to Mr. Woodifield’s drink is “sacrilege” is an example of overstatement stressing the excellence of the boss’s whisky.

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"and pouring a generous finger into each..." See in text (The Fly)

The amount of whisky poured into a glass is often measured in “fingers.” One finger of whisky would equal the width of one finger placed against the side of the glass.

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"on the strict Q.T...." See in text (The Fly)

“On the Q.T.” is an idiom that means in a secret or quiet way. An idiom is an expression with meaning peculiar to itself; its meaning can’t be translated from the words in the expression.

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"a paper-knife..." See in text (The Fly)

“Paper-knife” is another name for a letter opener.

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"stroke..." See in text (The Fly)

“Stroke” is a medical term that refers to an interruption of the blood supply to the brain, usually caused by a sudden blockage of arteries leading to the brain.

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Analysis Pages

Vocabulary in The Fly

Vocabulary Examples in The Fly:

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Analysis Pages