drew herself up to her full height of four feet, ten inches

[Eartha]

Dear all,

What's the meaning of the underlined?
Thanks in advance.

Having accomplished this much, one of the children was dispatched to get old of the doctor. He came, gave Grandpa a thorough examination, and was just about to congratulate him on his excellent state of health when my mother went nto action.
She planted herself firmly in front of the doctor, drew herself up to her full height of four feet, ten inches, and told him in no uncertain terms, that Grandpa had suffered a severe shock and concussion of whatever brains he had. How else to explain the fact that he walked away from the chance of a lifetime! Did the doctor have another explanation? Ha?

[billmcd]

Dear all,

What's the meaning of the underlined?
Thanks in advance.

Having accomplished this much, one of the children was dispatched to get old of the doctor. He came, gave Grandpa a thorough examination, and was just about to congratulate him on his excellent state of health when my mother went nto action.
She planted herself firmly in front of the doctor, drew herself up to her full height of four feet, ten inches, and told him in no uncertain terms, that Grandpa had suffered a severe shock and concussion of whatever brains he had. How else to explain the fact that he walked away from the chance of a lifetime! Did the doctor have another explanation? Ha?

First, I think it should be "get hold of the doctor" which, in your example, would mean "to contact or "retain". "Drew herself up etc." is a an apparent facetious reference to the mother boldly confronting the doctor in spite of her diminutive stature. Since your paragraph is partly out of context, it is difficult to determine what "the chance of a lifetime" was and therefore, difficult to determine the meaning and relationship between the "concussion" and the "chance of a lifetime".

[BobK]

First, I think it should be "get hold of the doctor" which, in your example, would mean "to contact or "retain". "Drew herself up etc." is a an apparent facetious reference to the mother boldly* confronting the doctor in spite of her diminutive stature. Since your paragraph is partly out of context, it is difficult to determine what "the chance of a lifetime" was and therefore, difficult to determine the meaning and relationship between the "concussion" and the "chance of a lifetime".

* 'Boldly' because the expression 'drew him-/herself up to his/her full <height>'' is typically used with a sense of awe or fear - because the height specified is often imposing: example - 'He drew himself up to his full 2 metres, and cracked his knuckles menacingly. They decided against taking their complaint any further.'

b