What does “her squashed-tomato of a nose” mean in this context?
At this, Winky howled even harder, her squashed-tomato of a nose dribbling all down her front, though she made no effort to stem the flow.
I think "her squashed-tomato of a nose" might refer to Winky's snot, that is, her snot is something like "squashed-tomato". Is my understanding correct?
From Harry Potter - the Goblet of Fire -- Chapter 21
meaning-in-context
asked Dec 19 at 8:05
dan
4,37422565
add a comment |
At this, Winky howled even harder, her squashed-tomato of a nose dribbling all down her front, though she made no effort to stem the flow.
I think "her squashed-tomato of a nose" might refer to Winky's snot, that is, her snot is something like "squashed-tomato". Is my understanding correct?
From Harry Potter - the Goblet of Fire -- Chapter 21
meaning-in-context
asked Dec 19 at 8:05
dan
4,37422565
add a comment |
At this, Winky howled even harder, her squashed-tomato of a nose dribbling all down her front, though she made no effort to stem the flow.
I think "her squashed-tomato of a nose" might refer to Winky's snot, that is, her snot is something like "squashed-tomato". Is my understanding correct?
From Harry Potter - the Goblet of Fire -- Chapter 21
meaning-in-context
asked Dec 19 at 8:05
dan
4,37422565
At this, Winky howled even harder, her squashed-tomato of a nose dribbling all down her front, though she made no effort to stem the flow.
I think "her squashed-tomato of a nose" might refer to Winky's snot, that is, her snot is something like "squashed-tomato". Is my understanding correct?
From Harry Potter - the Goblet of Fire -- Chapter 21
meaning-in-context
meaning-in-context
asked Dec 19 at 8:05
dan
4,37422565
asked Dec 19 at 8:05
dan
4,37422565
edited Dec 19 at 8:08
asked Dec 19 at 8:05
dan
4,37422565
asked Dec 19 at 8:05
dan
4,37422565
asked Dec 19 at 8:05
dan
4,37422565
4,37422565
add a comment |
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
The meaning is
Her nose, which was looking like a squashed tomato
Thus
At this, Winky howled even harder, her [nose (resembling a squashed tomato)] dribbling all down her front, though she made no effort to stem the flow.
"His/her something of a something" is a phrase commonly used to compare a face feature with some object. Examples from Google Books found using "his * of a nose/eye/ear":
His black dot of a nose rested between his paws.
If they knew that his one grave slit of an eye had seen gold in rice grains and furtive wealth in human lives, they were not prepared to abuse his memory, because Lung had stolen from them without vulgar ceremony
Mad Jack stroked his chin, began fidgeting with the ring in his gnarled lump of an ear.
answered Dec 19 at 8:12
CowperKettle
27.8k987166
Can we also say "a squashed-tomato nose"? If so, any difference?
– dan
Dec 19 at 9:49
1
@dan - yes, we can - the difference I stylistic, I guess. The meaning would be the same.
– CowperKettle
Dec 19 at 10:25
3
@dan: The difference is semantic. The pattern "squashed tomato of a nose" calls the nose a squashed tomato; that is, it is a metaphor (however we interpret it) whereas in "a squashed-tomato nose" the noun "squashed tomato" is a descriptor. And you cannot generalize from this "translation" between forms; here they might be pretty much the same, but "a mountain of a man" and "a mountain man" are different things.
– Tᴚoɯɐuo
Dec 19 at 12:01
2
@dan That might make me wonder if her nose was actually a squashed tomato. Consider "Frosty the Snowman" -...with a corncob pipe and a button nose, where here the snowman's nose is actually built using a clothing button. If he had abutton of a nose, however, it's clear that the expression is a metaphor.
– J...
Dec 19 at 13:11
1
@dan No. That would be calling the squashed tomato a nose, not the nose a squashed tomato. The pattern is "{metaphorical thing} of a {actual thing}". Harry stared at Ron's pumpkin of a head.
– Tᴚoɯɐuo
Dec 19 at 14:09
|
show 1 more comment
Winky is a house-elf. They have, from the human point of view, strange and rather ugly faces. In particular, Winky's nose looks something like a squashed tomato.
This is a known piece of imagery. There is a children's song
My teacher's got a bunion
A face like a pickled onion,
A nose like a squashed tomato
And legs like matchsticks.
answered Dec 19 at 8:12
James K
33.3k13784
add a comment |
Winky may have rhinophyma, a skin condition which causes the nose to become red and enlarged (sometimes also appearing flattened, if it enlarges more side-to-side). Historically people thought that alcoholism caused rhinophyma so the imagery of her having a large, red nose reinforces her alcoholism.
Also, her nose dripping is similar to a faucet dripping, the actual nose or faucet doesn't move but liquid comes out of it.
answered Dec 19 at 16:23
user3067860
47925
add a comment |
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3 Answers
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3 Answers
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The meaning is
Her nose, which was looking like a squashed tomato
Thus
At this, Winky howled even harder, her [nose (resembling a squashed tomato)] dribbling all down her front, though she made no effort to stem the flow.
"His/her something of a something" is a phrase commonly used to compare a face feature with some object. Examples from Google Books found using "his * of a nose/eye/ear":
His black dot of a nose rested between his paws.
If they knew that his one grave slit of an eye had seen gold in rice grains and furtive wealth in human lives, they were not prepared to abuse his memory, because Lung had stolen from them without vulgar ceremony
Mad Jack stroked his chin, began fidgeting with the ring in his gnarled lump of an ear.
answered Dec 19 at 8:12
CowperKettle
27.8k987166
Can we also say "a squashed-tomato nose"? If so, any difference?
– dan
Dec 19 at 9:49
1
@dan - yes, we can - the difference I stylistic, I guess. The meaning would be the same.
– CowperKettle
Dec 19 at 10:25
3
@dan: The difference is semantic. The pattern "squashed tomato of a nose" calls the nose a squashed tomato; that is, it is a metaphor (however we interpret it) whereas in "a squashed-tomato nose" the noun "squashed tomato" is a descriptor. And you cannot generalize from this "translation" between forms; here they might be pretty much the same, but "a mountain of a man" and "a mountain man" are different things.
– Tᴚoɯɐuo
Dec 19 at 12:01
2
@dan That might make me wonder if her nose was actually a squashed tomato. Consider "Frosty the Snowman" -...with a corncob pipe and a button nose, where here the snowman's nose is actually built using a clothing button. If he had abutton of a nose, however, it's clear that the expression is a metaphor.
– J...
Dec 19 at 13:11
1
@dan No. That would be calling the squashed tomato a nose, not the nose a squashed tomato. The pattern is "{metaphorical thing} of a {actual thing}". Harry stared at Ron's pumpkin of a head.
– Tᴚoɯɐuo
Dec 19 at 14:09
|
show 1 more comment
The meaning is
Her nose, which was looking like a squashed tomato
Thus
At this, Winky howled even harder, her [nose (resembling a squashed tomato)] dribbling all down her front, though she made no effort to stem the flow.
"His/her something of a something" is a phrase commonly used to compare a face feature with some object. Examples from Google Books found using "his * of a nose/eye/ear":
His black dot of a nose rested between his paws.
If they knew that his one grave slit of an eye had seen gold in rice grains and furtive wealth in human lives, they were not prepared to abuse his memory, because Lung had stolen from them without vulgar ceremony
Mad Jack stroked his chin, began fidgeting with the ring in his gnarled lump of an ear.
answered Dec 19 at 8:12
CowperKettle
27.8k987166
Can we also say "a squashed-tomato nose"? If so, any difference?
– dan
Dec 19 at 9:49
1
@dan - yes, we can - the difference I stylistic, I guess. The meaning would be the same.
– CowperKettle
Dec 19 at 10:25
3
@dan: The difference is semantic. The pattern "squashed tomato of a nose" calls the nose a squashed tomato; that is, it is a metaphor (however we interpret it) whereas in "a squashed-tomato nose" the noun "squashed tomato" is a descriptor. And you cannot generalize from this "translation" between forms; here they might be pretty much the same, but "a mountain of a man" and "a mountain man" are different things.
– Tᴚoɯɐuo
Dec 19 at 12:01
2
@dan That might make me wonder if her nose was actually a squashed tomato. Consider "Frosty the Snowman" -...with a corncob pipe and a button nose, where here the snowman's nose is actually built using a clothing button. If he had abutton of a nose, however, it's clear that the expression is a metaphor.
– J...
Dec 19 at 13:11
1
@dan No. That would be calling the squashed tomato a nose, not the nose a squashed tomato. The pattern is "{metaphorical thing} of a {actual thing}". Harry stared at Ron's pumpkin of a head.
– Tᴚoɯɐuo
Dec 19 at 14:09
|
show 1 more comment
The meaning is
Her nose, which was looking like a squashed tomato
Thus
At this, Winky howled even harder, her [nose (resembling a squashed tomato)] dribbling all down her front, though she made no effort to stem the flow.
"His/her something of a something" is a phrase commonly used to compare a face feature with some object. Examples from Google Books found using "his * of a nose/eye/ear":
His black dot of a nose rested between his paws.
If they knew that his one grave slit of an eye had seen gold in rice grains and furtive wealth in human lives, they were not prepared to abuse his memory, because Lung had stolen from them without vulgar ceremony
Mad Jack stroked his chin, began fidgeting with the ring in his gnarled lump of an ear.
answered Dec 19 at 8:12
CowperKettle
27.8k987166
The meaning is
Her nose, which was looking like a squashed tomato
Thus
At this, Winky howled even harder, her [nose (resembling a squashed tomato)] dribbling all down her front, though she made no effort to stem the flow.
"His/her something of a something" is a phrase commonly used to compare a face feature with some object. Examples from Google Books found using "his * of a nose/eye/ear":
His black dot of a nose rested between his paws.
If they knew that his one grave slit of an eye had seen gold in rice grains and furtive wealth in human lives, they were not prepared to abuse his memory, because Lung had stolen from them without vulgar ceremony
Mad Jack stroked his chin, began fidgeting with the ring in his gnarled lump of an ear.
answered Dec 19 at 8:12
CowperKettle
27.8k987166
edited Dec 19 at 8:18
answered Dec 19 at 8:12
CowperKettle
27.8k987166
answered Dec 19 at 8:12
CowperKettle
27.8k987166
answered Dec 19 at 8:12
CowperKettle
27.8k987166
27.8k987166
Can we also say "a squashed-tomato nose"? If so, any difference?
– dan
Dec 19 at 9:49
1
@dan - yes, we can - the difference I stylistic, I guess. The meaning would be the same.
– CowperKettle
Dec 19 at 10:25
3
@dan: The difference is semantic. The pattern "squashed tomato of a nose" calls the nose a squashed tomato; that is, it is a metaphor (however we interpret it) whereas in "a squashed-tomato nose" the noun "squashed tomato" is a descriptor. And you cannot generalize from this "translation" between forms; here they might be pretty much the same, but "a mountain of a man" and "a mountain man" are different things.
– Tᴚoɯɐuo
Dec 19 at 12:01
2
@dan That might make me wonder if her nose was actually a squashed tomato. Consider "Frosty the Snowman" -...with a corncob pipe and a button nose, where here the snowman's nose is actually built using a clothing button. If he had abutton of a nose, however, it's clear that the expression is a metaphor.
– J...
Dec 19 at 13:11
1
@dan No. That would be calling the squashed tomato a nose, not the nose a squashed tomato. The pattern is "{metaphorical thing} of a {actual thing}". Harry stared at Ron's pumpkin of a head.
– Tᴚoɯɐuo
Dec 19 at 14:09
|
show 1 more comment
Can we also say "a squashed-tomato nose"? If so, any difference?
– dan
Dec 19 at 9:49
1
@dan - yes, we can - the difference I stylistic, I guess. The meaning would be the same.
– CowperKettle
Dec 19 at 10:25
3
@dan: The difference is semantic. The pattern "squashed tomato of a nose" calls the nose a squashed tomato; that is, it is a metaphor (however we interpret it) whereas in "a squashed-tomato nose" the noun "squashed tomato" is a descriptor. And you cannot generalize from this "translation" between forms; here they might be pretty much the same, but "a mountain of a man" and "a mountain man" are different things.
– Tᴚoɯɐuo
Dec 19 at 12:01
2
@dan That might make me wonder if her nose was actually a squashed tomato. Consider "Frosty the Snowman" -...with a corncob pipe and a button nose, where here the snowman's nose is actually built using a clothing button. If he had abutton of a nose, however, it's clear that the expression is a metaphor.
– J...
Dec 19 at 13:11
1
@dan No. That would be calling the squashed tomato a nose, not the nose a squashed tomato. The pattern is "{metaphorical thing} of a {actual thing}". Harry stared at Ron's pumpkin of a head.
– Tᴚoɯɐuo
Dec 19 at 14:09
Can we also say "a squashed-tomato nose"? If so, any difference?
– dan
Dec 19 at 9:49
Can we also say "a squashed-tomato nose"? If so, any difference?
– dan
Dec 19 at 9:49
1
1
@dan - yes, we can - the difference I stylistic, I guess. The meaning would be the same.
– CowperKettle
Dec 19 at 10:25
@dan - yes, we can - the difference I stylistic, I guess. The meaning would be the same.
– CowperKettle
Dec 19 at 10:25
3
3
@dan: The difference is semantic. The pattern "squashed tomato of a nose" calls the nose a squashed tomato; that is, it is a metaphor (however we interpret it) whereas in "a squashed-tomato nose" the noun "squashed tomato" is a descriptor. And you cannot generalize from this "translation" between forms; here they might be pretty much the same, but "a mountain of a man" and "a mountain man" are different things.
– Tᴚoɯɐuo
Dec 19 at 12:01
@dan: The difference is semantic. The pattern "squashed tomato of a nose" calls the nose a squashed tomato; that is, it is a metaphor (however we interpret it) whereas in "a squashed-tomato nose" the noun "squashed tomato" is a descriptor. And you cannot generalize from this "translation" between forms; here they might be pretty much the same, but "a mountain of a man" and "a mountain man" are different things.
– Tᴚoɯɐuo
Dec 19 at 12:01
2
2
@dan That might make me wonder if her nose was actually a squashed tomato. Consider "Frosty the Snowman" -
...with a corncob pipe and a button nose, where here the snowman's nose is actually built using a clothing button. If he had a button of a nose, however, it's clear that the expression is a metaphor.– J...
Dec 19 at 13:11
@dan That might make me wonder if her nose was actually a squashed tomato. Consider "Frosty the Snowman" -
...with a corncob pipe and a button nose, where here the snowman's nose is actually built using a clothing button. If he had a button of a nose, however, it's clear that the expression is a metaphor.– J...
Dec 19 at 13:11
1
1
@dan No. That would be calling the squashed tomato a nose, not the nose a squashed tomato. The pattern is "{metaphorical thing} of a {actual thing}". Harry stared at Ron's pumpkin of a head.
– Tᴚoɯɐuo
Dec 19 at 14:09
@dan No. That would be calling the squashed tomato a nose, not the nose a squashed tomato. The pattern is "{metaphorical thing} of a {actual thing}". Harry stared at Ron's pumpkin of a head.
– Tᴚoɯɐuo
Dec 19 at 14:09
|
show 1 more comment
Winky is a house-elf. They have, from the human point of view, strange and rather ugly faces. In particular, Winky's nose looks something like a squashed tomato.
This is a known piece of imagery. There is a children's song
My teacher's got a bunion
A face like a pickled onion,
A nose like a squashed tomato
And legs like matchsticks.
answered Dec 19 at 8:12
James K
33.3k13784
add a comment |
Winky is a house-elf. They have, from the human point of view, strange and rather ugly faces. In particular, Winky's nose looks something like a squashed tomato.
This is a known piece of imagery. There is a children's song
My teacher's got a bunion
A face like a pickled onion,
A nose like a squashed tomato
And legs like matchsticks.
answered Dec 19 at 8:12
James K
33.3k13784
add a comment |
Winky is a house-elf. They have, from the human point of view, strange and rather ugly faces. In particular, Winky's nose looks something like a squashed tomato.
This is a known piece of imagery. There is a children's song
My teacher's got a bunion
A face like a pickled onion,
A nose like a squashed tomato
And legs like matchsticks.
answered Dec 19 at 8:12
James K
33.3k13784
Winky is a house-elf. They have, from the human point of view, strange and rather ugly faces. In particular, Winky's nose looks something like a squashed tomato.
This is a known piece of imagery. There is a children's song
My teacher's got a bunion
A face like a pickled onion,
A nose like a squashed tomato
And legs like matchsticks.
answered Dec 19 at 8:12
James K
33.3k13784
answered Dec 19 at 8:12
James K
33.3k13784
answered Dec 19 at 8:12
James K
33.3k13784
answered Dec 19 at 8:12
James K
33.3k13784
33.3k13784
add a comment |
add a comment |
Winky may have rhinophyma, a skin condition which causes the nose to become red and enlarged (sometimes also appearing flattened, if it enlarges more side-to-side). Historically people thought that alcoholism caused rhinophyma so the imagery of her having a large, red nose reinforces her alcoholism.
Also, her nose dripping is similar to a faucet dripping, the actual nose or faucet doesn't move but liquid comes out of it.
answered Dec 19 at 16:23
user3067860
47925
add a comment |
Winky may have rhinophyma, a skin condition which causes the nose to become red and enlarged (sometimes also appearing flattened, if it enlarges more side-to-side). Historically people thought that alcoholism caused rhinophyma so the imagery of her having a large, red nose reinforces her alcoholism.
Also, her nose dripping is similar to a faucet dripping, the actual nose or faucet doesn't move but liquid comes out of it.
answered Dec 19 at 16:23
user3067860
47925
add a comment |
Winky may have rhinophyma, a skin condition which causes the nose to become red and enlarged (sometimes also appearing flattened, if it enlarges more side-to-side). Historically people thought that alcoholism caused rhinophyma so the imagery of her having a large, red nose reinforces her alcoholism.
Also, her nose dripping is similar to a faucet dripping, the actual nose or faucet doesn't move but liquid comes out of it.
answered Dec 19 at 16:23
user3067860
47925
Winky may have rhinophyma, a skin condition which causes the nose to become red and enlarged (sometimes also appearing flattened, if it enlarges more side-to-side). Historically people thought that alcoholism caused rhinophyma so the imagery of her having a large, red nose reinforces her alcoholism.
Also, her nose dripping is similar to a faucet dripping, the actual nose or faucet doesn't move but liquid comes out of it.
answered Dec 19 at 16:23
user3067860
47925
answered Dec 19 at 16:23
user3067860
47925
answered Dec 19 at 16:23
user3067860
47925
answered Dec 19 at 16:23
user3067860
47925
47925
add a comment |
add a comment |
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