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hiromichi
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 1380
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 Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 12:49 am Post subject: in a breakneck blur |
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What does "in a breakneck blur" mean? Hastily?
After nearly 20 months of buildup, the misdemeanor trial of Kerry Kennedy ended on Friday in a breakneck blur, as jurors took less than two hours to find her not guilty of driving under the influence of a drug.
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wanderkind
Joined: 04 Mar 2014
Posts: 32
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| Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2014 5:27 pm Post subject: Re: in a breakneck blur |
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| hiromichi wrote: |
What does "in a breakneck blur" mean? Hastily?
After nearly 20 months of buildup, the misdemeanor trial of Kerry Kennedy ended on Friday in a breakneck blur, as jurors took less than two hours to find her not guilty of driving under the influence of a drug. |
Break-neck refers to how fast something is moving. It suggests that the speed is dangerous. I.e. so dangerous you could break your neck.
Most commonly used:
"...at break-neck speeds..." ~ 391,000 resultsresults
"...the leader was setting a breakneck pace..." ~ 610,000 results results
Blur, describing speed, refers to something moving so fast that it cannot clearly be observed. Moving so fast your eyes just see it as a blur.
E.g.
"...went by in a blur of motion..." ~ 785,000 results
"...I just saw a blur of movement..." ~1,570,000 results
As you said, to put breakneck and blur together would mean very fast, or dangerously fast.
However, "breakneck blur" doesn't match the pattern of use for either word, and the combination is very rare (~4,950 results usually in blog names).
You did well to understand the meaning even when the author used it incorrectly! But you'll probably never see that combination again. |
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hiromichi
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 1380
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| Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2014 5:42 pm Post subject: |
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wanderkind：
Thank you very much for your detailed explanation.
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