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Out of whole clothAsk about definitions or translations for Spanish or English words. |
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#1
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Out of whole cloth
out of whole cloth, without foundation in fact; fictitious: a story made out of whole cloth.
How would you translate this into Spanish? (¿Una historia sacada de la manga?) (Also, to be made (up) out of whole cloth = ser pura invención or puro invento) Any other sense for "whole cloth"? Like, what would be the sense in this sentence "they were beginning to embrace that philosophy whole cloth."?
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Lo propio de la verdad es que se basta a sí misma, aquel que la posee no intenta convencer a nadie. "An enemy is somebody who flatters you. A friend is somebody who criticizes the living daylights out of you." Last edited by JPablo; June 26, 2010 at 08:51 AM. Reason: Added another possible translation |
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#2
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Although it does exist, I have never heard the expression myself. The BNC only gives one instance of its use:
"A mythology can not be created for literary purposes out of whole cloth; it must be the work of a race." Your suggestion "they were beginning to embrace that philosophy whole cloth." makes no sense to me. |
#3
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Thank you, Perikles.
Yep, the expression is rather obscure... or at least, pretty highbrow... the second sentence, which is where I actually found the "expression", I believe that has something to do with "accepting that philosophy in full" or some such idea, but I have not found a definition to sustain that... only by the context...
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Lo propio de la verdad es que se basta a sí misma, aquel que la posee no intenta convencer a nadie. "An enemy is somebody who flatters you. A friend is somebody who criticizes the living daylights out of you." |
#4
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"...in full" sounds right; one definition I came across for "whole cloth"
was "broadcloth, as yet uncut to a pattern shape". The other, for "out of whole cloth" was "a complete fabrication with no basis in truth". I remember hearing the phrase from professors of English Literature...
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"Be brief, for no discourse can please when too long." miguel de cervantes saavedra |
#5
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Never heard it myself.
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#6
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Well, thank you, Hermit and thank you, Wafflestomp...
Hermit, that definitely helps to understand it much better in context. (At least, that does it for me.) English is an amazing language, and like Spanish and many other languages has 'limitless' expressions... which gives one a great freedom to create and to communicate... You can create, if you wish a new expression, out of whole cloth is you wish, and be able to be understood... and understand...
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Lo propio de la verdad es que se basta a sí misma, aquel que la posee no intenta convencer a nadie. "An enemy is somebody who flatters you. A friend is somebody who criticizes the living daylights out of you." |
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