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Trim of sails?



 
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ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
Sounds of the World's Animals | Phrase "mind you"
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Trim of sails? #1 (permalink) Thu Jul 13, 2006 13:17 pm   Trim of sails?
 

Dear Teachers,

What I read was:

"Come here, my little mouse."
Bianca knew enough not to come forward. "A mouse doesn't accept invitations from a cat." she said.
"She's got the trim of your sails!" Lucrezia hooted with unprincipled glee.

What does it mean by "got the trim of your sails"?
All Potted Out
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Joined: 17 Feb 2006
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Trimming one's sails #2 (permalink) Thu Jul 13, 2006 13:48 pm   Trimming one's sails
 

Hi all potted out

I'd understand "She's got the trim of your sails!" to mean "She understands how you think/what you're planning (and therefore knows what to expect)".

Since this isn't an idiom I'd personally use, however, maybe someone else will have a different interpretation. It sounds rather British to me. It may be similar to saying "She's got your number."
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/have+number+on+it

Amy
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Idiom: Trimming one's sails #3 (permalink) Thu Jul 13, 2006 15:10 pm   Idiom: Trimming one's sails
 

.
Not British, I think, APO-- just nautical. Trimming one's sails is getting the sails of a ship set just properly to work the wind efficiently. Getting the trim, as Yankee says, is successfully learning this, i.e. the other person's attitude/personality/purposes.

The image could be carried even further: knowing the trim of the sails implies that one knows where the ship (or adversary) is going, what his plans are.

It is quite a nice metaphor.
.
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Trim of sails? #4 (permalink) Thu Jul 13, 2006 15:42 pm   Trim of sails?
 

Outstanding, MM! Your descriptive explanation is quite eloquent. Very Happy

Amy
Yankee
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Trim of sails? #5 (permalink) Thu Jul 13, 2006 17:09 pm   Trim of sails?
 

Mister Micawber wrote:
Not British, I think, APO-- just nautical.

Dear MM.

Could you please explain the meaning? Very Happy

Tom
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Another question #6 (permalink) Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:20 am   Another question
 

Thanks for your replies. And, here's another question I forgot to ask: what does it mean by "unprincipled glee"?
All Potted Out
I'm here quite often ;-)


Joined: 17 Feb 2006
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Another question #7 (permalink) Fri Jul 14, 2006 14:51 pm   Another question
 

all potted out wrote:
What does it mean by "unprincipled glee"?

Unprincipled glee is joy or gaiety without any moral standards or scruples.
Conchita
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Trim of sails? #8 (permalink) Fri Jul 28, 2006 23:07 pm   Trim of sails?
 

I am sorry to disturb you all again! Sad
Would anyone please answer my question???

Tom
Tom
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Joined: 30 May 2006
Posts: 2053

Trim of sails? #9 (permalink) Fri Jul 28, 2006 23:27 pm   Trim of sails?
 

Hi Tom

I'm kind of interested in APO myself. The only thing I know is the abbreviation for "Army Post Office"...

Amy
Yankee
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Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8265
Location: USA

Trim of sails? #10 (permalink) Fri Jul 28, 2006 23:29 pm   Trim of sails?
 

Yankee wrote:
Hi Tom

I'm kind of interested in APO myself. The only thing I know is the abbreviation for "Army Post Office"...

Amy

I think Mr Micawber just meant 'All Potted Out'!
Conchita
Language Coach


Joined: 26 Dec 2005
Posts: 2826
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