[General] We are agreed?

[jiaruchan]

Greed, we are agreed, is bad. ----

George Will's recent article begins with this sentence. I want to know if 'we are agreed ' is kind of proper or it specifically means some situation makes us agree. Thank you for your help.

THE CASE FOR GREED - New York Post

[nonsense]

"We are agreed" means we have a consensus, something everyone agrees with.

The leader of a committee that seems to have come to a decision may ask the group, "Are we agreed?" If the answer is yes, everyone agrees, then the decision has been made. If someone disagrees, then they may continue discussing until everyone is satisfied.

The writer has chosen this particular phrase for the humorous quality that it rhymes with "greed". He could have said "Everyone agrees that greed is bad," and it would have had the same meaning, but not the same effect.

[jiaruchan]

Originally Posted by nonsense

"We are agreed" means we have a consensus, something everyone agrees with.

The leader of a committee that seems to have come to a decision may ask the group, "Are we agreed?" If the answer is yes, everyone agrees, then the decision has been made. If someone disagrees, then they may continue discussing until everyone is satisfied.

The writer has chosen this particular phrase for the humorous quality that it rhymes with "greed". He could have said "Everyone agrees that greed is bad," and it would have had the same meaning, but not the same effect.

Now I can understand 'agreed' is an adjective and 'we are agreed' has nothing to do with the passive voice and sounds right.

[Andie42]

I've been wondering about something similar. In Animal Farm, there's a sentence that goes, "All were agreed that no animal must ever live there." I can't understand why. Any help? Thanks!

[BobK]

Originally Posted by Andie42

I've been wondering about something similar. In Animal Farm, there's a sentence that goes, "All were agreed that no animal must ever live there." I can't understand why. Any help? Thanks!

They were in agreement; there was, as nonsense said, a consensus among them. It is the same sort of 'agreed' as in the OP.

At another level, perhaps there is political satire. In the same way as you might say 'they were forced/they were subjected/they were oppressed' (where the object of the verb has something unwelcome done to it) I detect a feeling that Orwell means that not all the animals agreed, but they were made to agree. But this is just my interpretation. The expression itself simply means 'they were all in agreement'.

(This word has special relevance for me - I often say 'Agreed?', meaning 'Do you all agree?'. But I've learnt - after several misunderstandings - not to use it in the classroom).

b

[Andie42]

Thanks for your answer Bob. Still... I find it confusing. In fact, I can't see any difference between the two structures! When we correct homework, I ask my students,"do you all agree?" Am I not asking if they're all in agreement? Isn't that consensus? That they all accept a certain answer as correct or incorrect, I mean.

[chester_100]

Originally Posted by Andie42

Thanks for your answer Bob. Still... I find it confusing. In fact, I can't see any difference between the two structures! When we correct homework, I ask my students,"do you all agree?" Am I not asking if they're all in agreement? Isn't that consensus? That they all accept a certain answer as correct or incorrect, I mean.

Agreed can be used as an adjective.
- Agreed definition [adjective + noun].
-All [of the animals] were agreed[to be + adjective] that no animal must ever live there.
-[Are you] Agreed [with me]? -yes!

In agreement is simply a phrase that means having the same opinion.
Agree, as you use it, is an intransitive verb meaning to be in accord or having the same opinion.

So, they are structurally different, but almost semantically the same. That is, they have the same meaning.
Yes, consensus has almost the same meaning, but its used in formal contexts.

[BobK]

Well put!

b

[chester_100]

Originally Posted by BobK

Well put!

b

Oh Thank you!