constitution/slangy dash

[GUEST2008]

Hi

A woman is looking at another woman and is thinking to herself:

She had carried into her fifties a good deal of a hard blonde beauty, an excellent constitution and much of the slangy dash of the twenties.

Does "constitution" here means "good looks"?

What a "slangy dash" is?​

 

[Mannysteps]

Not a teacher

Since I´ve been waiting for comments myself, I'd risk the following interpretation::


She had carried into her fifties a good deal of a hard blonde beauty, a body in excellent shape and much of the irreverent touch of the twenties.

M.
​

 

[BobK]

Not a teacher

Since I´ve been waiting for comments myself, I'd risk the following interpretation::


She had carried into her fifties a good deal of a hard blonde beauty, a body in excellent shape and much of the irreverent touch of the twenties.

M.
​

'in excellent shape' - good, so long as you don't interpet it as referring just to shape. Informally you could say 'in pretty good nick'.

irreverent :up:

touch :-? I'd have used some expression that referred to an attitude and an approach to life. Some writers might choose a word such as 'bravura' - not sure I would (although I just did )

b

 

[Mannysteps]

Not a teacher


For the sake of a smile:



"She had carried into her fifties a good deal of a hard blonde beauty, a body in pretty good nick and much of the irreverent bravura of the twenties.":-D


Now, being seriuous: although I would never use "bravura", I often use "bravado" for defiance or irreverence.


Regards,


M.

 

[BobK]

... although I would never use "bravura", I often use "bravado" for defiance or irreverence.


Regards,


M.

Me too. I think 'slangy dash' refers to an attitude that is sometimes called 'devil-may-care' - ready to take risks, and hang the consequences. Young people, you'll have noticed, are immortal. ;-)

b

 

[Mannysteps]

In my opinion the author was coining another use for "slangy" as a provocative attitude rather than provocative language.Don't you agree BobK? But I like the word "irreverent". And you are absolutely right: young people are irreverent towards death. Mocking it was great fun for me, made me believe I would always conquer it.:lol:

M.

 

[BobK]

In my opinion the author was coining another use for "slangy" as a provocative attitude rather than provocative language.Don't you agree BobK? ...

I'd hesitate to say 'coining', but s/he was certainly extending it from the realm of language. Young peoples' use of slang and other irreverent behaviour are all born of one attitude: Why shouldn't I.. [... say 'minging'? or ... Walk near the edge of the cliff?]

b