voluptuous scene/ the revel went whirlingly on

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you share with me your opinion concerning the interpretation of the expressions in bold in the following sentences?

It was a voluptuous scene, that masquerade.

voluptuous scene = bacchanalia, orgy

And the revel went whirlingly on, until at length there commenced the sounding of midnight upon the clock.

the revel went whirlingly on = the festive occasion was at its height

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V

[apex2000]

For the first it is mmore likely to be 'sensuous'.
For the second, not necessarily at its height but continuing at a fast pace.

[vil]

Hi apex2000,

Here are my articulate arguments for my interpretations in my original post.

voluptuous = devoted to or indulging in sensual pleasures

Voluptuous principally implies abandoning oneself to pleasures, especially sensual pleasures: "Lucullus . . . returned to Rome to lounge away the remainder of his days in voluptuous magnificence" (J.A. Froude).

voluptuous scene = bacchanalia, orgy

There are in English many others artistry expressions distinguishing of your trivial and plain “continuing at a fast pace” . I preferred to use, probably unsuccessful the notion “climax, height” in my interpretation; on the analogy of such usage in the following literature excerpts “summer is at its height”, “at the height of the season”, “in the height of the battle”.

And yet I thank for your kindness. I give my preference to you and not to the mot-eaten scholarly rooks.

V.

[apex2000]

You do need to be a bit more careful when expressing yourself, vil. We use 'articulate' to describe someone who speaks well with a good command of vocabulary! You may have a large vocabulary but you are not speaking and you do not know if you are being articulate when you do. It would be for others to describe you as such.

A voluptuous woman is a well endowed woman with very obvious large curves especially on her chest. If you look up whirling in your dictionary you should get the notion that this has a lot to do with dancing (around the floor) and this adds to the revels.

Whilst you are obviously trying to find out as much as you can from reading do not forget your dictionary; that should be the first place to look for elucidation.

[BobK]

The 'whirlingly' is a semi-poetical usage. 'The revels went whirlingly on' doesn't mean anything much; it wouldn't be a good idea to use it as a model. But it suggests that the revels involved rapidly rotational ('whirling') movement.

b

[BobK]

The 'whirlingly' is a semi-poetical usage. 'The revels went whirlingly on' doesn't mean anything much; it wouldn't be a good idea to use it as a model. But it suggests that the revels involved rapidly rotational ('whirling') movement.

b

[vil]

Hi Bob_K,

Thank you for your assistance.

My all but six-year mastering of English involves knowing for certain the interpretation of the elementary for me "whirl".

For example "To give something a whirl" = give something a hectic activity.

hectic = busy, chaotic, excited, fast, rapid, feverish, frantic, frenetic, furious, heated, wild

V.

[azcl]

***Not a teacher***

Hi Vil,

For example "To give something a whirl" = give something a hectic activity.

To give something a whirl simply means to try something or have a go at something - it does not necessarily imply hectic activity.

"Would you like to try the piano?"
"I'll give it a whirl" (i.e. "Yes - I'll try it")

Ade

[vil]

Hi azcl,

Thank you for your further information.

I see what you mean.

give something a whirl = make a brief or experimental try

Regards,

V.

[BobK]

You presumably know, vil, that this sort of 'whirl' (which exists only as a noun*) is nothing to do with the verbal 'whirl*' used in your original quote.

b

PS * A verb hasn't (yet...?) been back-formed from this substantive 'whirl'. If you say 'I was whirling the car, when it crashed', you don't mean 'I was trying it out experimentally...' (It doesn't mean anything much, unless the speaker is Superman )