McCarthy: standing quarterwise
Marius Hancu
Does
"standing quarterwise"
mean a quarter of it was inside?
---
[In a motel room]
The first thing he did was to walk carefully over the carpet. When he
came across the depression where the bed had been moved he swung the
bed out into the room. He knelt and blew at the dust and he studied
the nap of the carpet. He rose and picked up the pillows and smelled
them and put them back. He left the bed standing quarterwise in the
room and walked over to the wardrobe and opened the doors and looked
in and closed them again.
Cormac McCarthy, No Country for Old Men, p. 146
---
--
Thanks.
Marius Hancu
Peter Duncanson (BrE)
"quarterwise" is not know to the OED or OneLook.com.
In this context I would interpret it as meaning "at an angle of (about)
45 degrees" to the wall. That is, half way between being parallel to the
wall and at right angles to the wall.
That would be one quarter of the rotation needed to reposition the bed
from having one side parallel to the wall to having the other side
parallel to the wall.
If that is not what is meant I'm baffled.
|
--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)
Cheryl P.
I think it means it's moved about to be at an angle of about 45 degrees
from the wall. The bed position would be completely reversed if it were
against the wall with the head and foot in reverse position; halfway at
90 degrees, or sticking straight out into the room, and therefore
maybe 45 degrees after a quarter of the full change in position. It's
not a term I'd ever use, so I admit freely that I am guessing.
--
Cheryl
Donna Richoux
> Marius Hancu wrote:
> > Does
> > "standing quarterwise"
> > mean a quarter of it was inside?
> >
> > ---
> > [In a motel room]
> >
> > The first thing he did was to walk carefully over the carpet. When he
> > came across the depression where the bed had been moved he swung the
> > bed out into the room. He knelt and blew at the dust and he studied
> > the nap of the carpet. He rose and picked up the pillows and smelled
> > them and put them back. He left the bed standing quarterwise in the
> > room and walked over to the wardrobe and opened the doors and looked
> > in and closed them again.
> >
> > Cormac McCarthy, No Country for Old Men, p. 146
>
> I think it means it's moved about to be at an angle of about 45 degrees
> from the wall. The bed position would be completely reversed if it were
> against the wall with the head and foot in reverse position; halfway at
> 90 degrees, or sticking straight out into the room, and therefore
> maybe 45 degrees after a quarter of the full change in position. It's
> not a term I'd ever use, so I admit freely that I am guessing.
I imagine it has some connection to kitty-corner, catercorner, and
cattywumpus.
However, all the hits I find for "quarter-wise" relate to quarterly
(quarter of a year).
--
Best -- Donna Richoux
Marius Hancu
> Cheryl P. <cperk...@mun.ca> wrote:
> > > Does
> > > "standing quarterwise"
> > > mean a quarter of it was inside?
>
> > > ---
> > > [In a motel room]
>
> > > The first thing he did was to walk carefully over the carpet. When he
> > > came across the depression where the bed had been moved he swung the
> > > bed out into the room. He knelt and blew at the dust and he studied
> > > the nap of the carpet. He rose and picked up the pillows and smelled
> > > them and put them back. He left the bed standing quarterwise in the
> > > room and walked over to the wardrobe and opened the doors and looked
> > > in and closed them again.
> > I think it means it's moved about to be at an angle of about 45 degrees
> > from the wall. The bed position would be completely reversed if it were
> > against the wall with the head and foot in reverse position; halfway at
> > 90 degrees, or sticking straight out into the room, and therefore
> > maybe 45 degrees after a quarter of the full change in position. It's
> > not a term I'd ever use, so I admit freely that I am guessing.
>
> I imagine it has some connection to kitty-corner, catercorner, and
> cattywumpus.
All great words, if you ask me:-)
Thank you all.
Marius Hancu