copperplate

[nimsooze]

please help me understand the meaning of underlined words and whole sentence:
you can copperplate your defence against them.
what is its root?

thanks

[Casiopea]

What's the context?

Here are the meanings for copperplate (noun):

1. a graceful style of handwriting based on the writing used on copperplate engravings

2. a print made from an engraved copperplate

3. an engraving consisting of a smooth plate of copper that has been etched or engraved

Source: WordNet

[queenbu]

Originally Posted by nimsooze

please help me understand the meaning of underlined words and whole sentence:
you can copperplate your defence against them.
what is its root?

thanks

Here copperplate is used as a verb and means you cover with copper, like when you say 'a goldplated' ring means it has been bathed in gold, not really made of gold.
Could you give us more of the context,please?

[nimsooze]

Originally Posted by queenbu

Here copperplate is used as a verb and means you cover with copper, like when you say 'a goldplated' ring means it has been bathed in gold, not really made of gold.
Could you give us more of the context,please?

"They can now no more finally ground their challenge to you than you can metaphysically copperplate your defense against them"
please help me clarify it!

[queenbu]

OK, so 'metaphysically copperplate' would mean like you build up a wall against them, build up your defence against them.

[Anglika]

The external bottoms of wooden ships were at one time plated with copper to protect the wood against damage - "the copper-sheathing of ships’ underwater hulls had commenced in the 1770s, with a view to reducing the fouling by weed, and preventing the depredations of the marine boring worm ‘teredo navalis’ – hence something which was copperbottomed was solid and reliable."

[nimsooze]

thanks anglica
then it means making the defence more solid and impenetrable?
good example but please cite your refrence.

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by nimsooze

"They can now no more finally ground their challenge to you than you can metaphysically copperplate your defense against them" please help me clarify it!

What's the context? That now and finally co-occur has me stumped; that finally reads as finely has me doing a double-take, and that challenge to would make more sense if it were challenge against has me wondering what year the sentence was written in, as well as questioning whether it's a cruel joke of an exercise on mental gymnastics. What's the context?

Alas, here's the best I can do for you:

To ground a challenge is to provide relevant evidence; metaphysical means above the physical, not of the body - colloquial usage, in your head, a mindtrip. As for copperplate, it could be in reference to a style of writing:

Copperplate, or English round hand, is also the name of a style of calligraphic writing,... Its name comes from the sharp lines of the writing style resembling the etches of engraved copper. ...the term "copperplate" is sometimes disparagingly used to refer to standard cursive. Sources: Answers.com

The structure no more...than reads, X can no more do this than Y can do that.

All the best.

[nimsooze]

the exact context is a critical essay about some theories and the time of writing is 1996

[queenbu]

It seems to me they're talking about a lawsuit or something like that. 'Defence' is being used in that sort of way not as I had thought before.They have strong alibis, sort of.