as ... as any

[optimistic pessimist]

Deal all,

Happy new Year!

During the CHristmas Holiday, I read Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol and the below is the first few lines of Chapter 35. I'd like to ask about the meaning of "as ...as ...ever..."


Chapter 35
The wooden stairs descending to the Capitol's sub-basement were as steep and shallow as any stairs Langdon had ever traversed. His breathing was faster now, and his lungs felt tight....

What does The wooden stairs were as steep and shallow as any stairs Langdon had ever traversed?

Is this different from The wooden stairs were the steepest and shallowest Langdon had ever traversed?

Thank you!

OP

 

[bhaisahab]

Deal all,

Happy new Year!

During the CHristmas Holiday, I read Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol and the below is the first few lines of Chapter 35. I'd like to ask about the meaning of "as ...as ...ever..."


Chapter 35
The wooden stairs descending to the Capitol's sub-basement were as steep and shallow as any stairs Langdon had ever traversed. His breathing was faster now, and his lungs felt tight....

What does The wooden stairs were as steep and shallow as any stairs Langdon had ever traversed?

Is this different from The wooden stairs were the steepest and shallowest Langdon had ever traversed?

Thank you!

OP

It means that the stairs were equally steep and shallow as any other stairs that he had traversed in his life.

 

[charliedeut]

Deal all,

Happy new Year!

During the CHristmas Holiday, I read Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol and the below is the first few lines of Chapter 35. I'd like to ask about the meaning of "as ...as ...ever..."


Chapter 35
The wooden stairs descending to the Capitol's sub-basement were as steep and shallow as any stairs Langdon had ever traversed. His breathing was faster now, and his lungs felt tight....

What does The wooden stairs were as steep and shallow as any stairs Langdon had ever traversed?

Is this different from The wooden stairs were the steepest and shallowest Langdon had ever traversed?

Thank you!

OP

Hi Optimistic,

Yes, it is different. "The wooden stairs were as steep and shallow as any stairs Langdon had ever traversed? " means Langdon found the stairs difficult or dangerous to ascend/descend, but he had used stairs like these before (as you know, the structure "as...as" is used for comparisons)

By opposition, "The wooden stairs were the steepest and shallowest Langdon had ever traversed" means these are the most difficult or dangerous he ever saw or used (in this case, you are using a superlative construction, so the other staris are less steep and less shallow than the ones referred to in the quote from the book).

Hope it helps.

Greetings

Charliedeut