Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[imchongjun]

Hello, teachers.
There are two idiomatic expressions, and I want to make sure what they mean.

(1) 'Twas a black day, that day, and a thick rain falling at Beacon Hill, and all the turf cut up terrible. The poor beasts (=horses for sale) was wet through, too, and couldn't look their best.'

Does "the turf cut up terrible" mean "the turf was muddy"?

(2) "John," says she, quite quiet, "'tain't polite to swear afore ladies. These here is good hosses, and I want you to buy 'em". Then he (=her husband) swore again, but she'd got his measure, and there was a mighty firm look in her face, for all she laughed so; and by degrees he quieted down and let her talk.

I am not quite sure what "got his measure" mean. One dictionary says "If you get or take the measure of someone or something, you discover what they are like, so that you are able to control them or deal with them. " but as he is her husband, she surely knows what he is like.

I appreciate any suggestions from you. Thanks!!

[CP]

Well, your reading assignment certainly isn't the easiest one. The grammatical errors made by the speakers are many, to make the characters sound authentic, so you have to deal with their mistakes as well as trying to understand what they are saying.

1. It means that the turf (grass that horses run and race on) was terribly slashed up from the horses' hooves.

2. Notice that the expression is in the past perfect: she had already figured him out before the conversation discussed in the book. So she knew how to tell him with her firm looks (even while laughing) that he should tone down the language, and pretty soon he did tone it down.
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