Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[JENNY DOLL]

Hi

Please explain these words or phrases to me, TKS!

1. flat finality
2. someone is raised on war, conditioned in battle.

Many TKS!!

[bud]

Hi Jenny,

1. It is hard to say for sure without a context, but 'flat' probably means 'total' or 'utter.' A finality is a finality, of course, but sometimes redundancy is used for emphasis, absoluteness or dramatization. There is a slang expression we use when we have little or no money: "I'm broke." If we are stressing that we have absolutely no money, we say "I'm flat [out] broke." ('out' is optional)

2. This would describe an accomplished warrior or soldier who has known war his entire life. He is probably a leader who has led his men to many victories.

2a. raised on war - As a child, he had a lot of experience about war. Perhaps his father was a soldier who taught him about fighting. Perhaps he grew up in a war zone... When we say someone was 'raised on something.' we are saying that the something was very influential in the person's childhood years.

2b. conditioned in battle - Through his experiences in various battles, he was molded into the fine soldier that he has become.

Very good, Jenny. Hope that helps.

[advoca]

As an Englishman I have never hear the phrase, 'flat finality.'

I have heard of someone giving a flat "no" to a question (a blunt NO!) and also of someone being flat broke (completely broke)

And if someong goes at the maximum speed he is said to be flat out.

And in America, they can be flat out of gas (meaning they have none in the tank. It is all gone)