Caught square in the shin

[Johnyxxx]

Hi.

I am not certain if I understand correctly what was going on. Did the guy simply kick him with his heavy boot, or did he stamp with his sole on the narrator´s shin?


There was silence in the room for a minute after he left. They stared down at Anne and me on the sofa, their faces heavy with anger and a kind of fierce pleasure. I felt cornered, but I hope I didn’t show it. Anne sat perfectly quiet beside me. After a minute she opened her compact and powdered her nose. It was the first time I had seen her do that and I knew it was a gesture of defiance. Ellen Hoskins chuckled, but Seth Marcy scowled. He shouldered his way past Pete Barnstable and halted in front of me.
“Git up,” he said to me.
“Don’t, Dick,” Anne said and then to Seth Marcy “He’s hurt.”
“Not as much as he’s going to be.” His heavy boot caught me square in the shin. For a moment I thought the bone would break. He drew his foot back again. “I aim,” he said slowly, “to teach you something, you dirty woman-killing son of a bitch.” That time the kick did not land. Ellen Hoskins caught his ankle on the backswing with the crook of her umbrella handle.
“Your language is nasty, Seth,” she said calmly.

Edge Of Running Water by William Sloane, 1939.


Thanks.

 

[GoesStation]

The blow struck him in the shin, perfectly.

 

[Rover_KE]

In modern BE I think most of us would say 'kicked him on the shin'.

 

[Tdol]

In modern BE I think most of us would say 'kicked him on the shin'.

I must be a bit old-fashioned, then. I'd still use in.

 

[jutfrank]

I don't find in old-fashioned. I'd use in too.

I'd say that in all variants, it's more natural to say: hit/punch/kick somebody in the [insert body part].

 

[jutfrank]

[insert body part]

You boy at the back! Stop sniggering. You know what I mean.

 

[Tdol]

Boy? I think you might need some training courses about your out-dated views and what modern sexism is all about. ;-)

 

[Rover_KE]

I'd say that in all variants, it's more natural to say: hit/punch/kick somebody in the [insert body part].

I couldn't bring myself to say 'Jess Ticulation hit me in the nose' or 'Stanley Nyfe punched me in the chin'.

 

[emsr2d2]

Different body parts and different verbs take different prepositions.

He hit me in the face.
She punched him on the nose.
She slapped me round the face.
I kicked him up the arse.

 

[Tdol]

I couldn't bring myself to say 'Jess Ticulation hit me in the nose' or 'Stanley Nyfe punched me in the chin'.

Good names, though.