[General] a few connotations of "shatter"

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vil

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Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expressions in bold in the following sentences?

Embattled BP chief executive Tony Hayward is stepping down as the firm tries to repair its shattered reputation in the United States following the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster.
shattered = ruined or disrupted

A monarchy was shattered to pieces, and divided amongst revolted subjects.
shatter = to break at once into many pieces; to dash, burst, or part violently into fragments; to rend into splinters

A man of a loose, volatile, and shattered humor.
shatter = to disorder; to derange; to render unsound; as, to be shattered in intellect; his constitution was shattered; his hopes were shattered

Shatter your leaves before the mellowing year.
shatter = to scatter about

Thanks for your efforts.

Regards,

V.
 

ranok

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The first two look correct, the 3rd I believe means that his humor was unsound and a bit crazy. Less of a verb, and more of an adjective.

The forth I believe is a typo, it should be scatter, shatter makes no sense in that context

JT
*Not a teacher
 
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vil

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Hi ranoc,


Thank you for your kindness.



Would you be kind enough to specify the hypothetical typo in the Milton's quotation bellow?


3. To scatter about. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Shatter your leaves before the mellowing year. --Milton. shatter [FONT=&quot]Regards,[/FONT][FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot]V.[/FONT]
 

Rover_KE

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Webster (1913 edition) states that shatter meaning scatter is obsolete.

Rover
 
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