What does 'swallow' mean in this context?
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I have a report of the Peace Celebrations 1919 written by the vicar of a village in Kent (a county in the southeast of England) in which he describes some of the sporting competitions staged in the afternoon, including:
'The sight of all these contests stirred the blood of old and young.
Wager matches were made and run off, Mr. J. Prior beating Mr. E.
Orpin, and Mrs. Checksfield, after a good swallow, proved more than a
match for her husband.'
What could he have meant by 'after a good swallow'? Google, as you can imagine, is no help as the top ten results for 'a good swallow' are probably quite different in meaning to what the good vicar intended. My one thought is that as this is a celebration in a quintessentially English village, Mrs Checksfield's 'swallow' is a gulp from an emboldening cup of tea.
I'm writing an article to commemorate the centenary of these celebrations next year and want to include the most likely meaning of this phrase.
meaning
asked 26 mins ago
Goldbern
113
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add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
I have a report of the Peace Celebrations 1919 written by the vicar of a village in Kent (a county in the southeast of England) in which he describes some of the sporting competitions staged in the afternoon, including:
'The sight of all these contests stirred the blood of old and young.
Wager matches were made and run off, Mr. J. Prior beating Mr. E.
Orpin, and Mrs. Checksfield, after a good swallow, proved more than a
match for her husband.'
What could he have meant by 'after a good swallow'? Google, as you can imagine, is no help as the top ten results for 'a good swallow' are probably quite different in meaning to what the good vicar intended. My one thought is that as this is a celebration in a quintessentially English village, Mrs Checksfield's 'swallow' is a gulp from an emboldening cup of tea.
I'm writing an article to commemorate the centenary of these celebrations next year and want to include the most likely meaning of this phrase.
meaning
asked 26 mins ago
Goldbern
113
New contributor
Goldbern is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
2
Any idea what event the Checksfields were competing in? It might be relevant. (I do suspect you're right about the tea; circumstances seem to preclude Mrs Checksfield pulling out a hipflask for a splash of Dutch courage and the vicar considering this all suitable to report.)
– tmgr
18 mins ago
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
I have a report of the Peace Celebrations 1919 written by the vicar of a village in Kent (a county in the southeast of England) in which he describes some of the sporting competitions staged in the afternoon, including:
'The sight of all these contests stirred the blood of old and young.
Wager matches were made and run off, Mr. J. Prior beating Mr. E.
Orpin, and Mrs. Checksfield, after a good swallow, proved more than a
match for her husband.'
What could he have meant by 'after a good swallow'? Google, as you can imagine, is no help as the top ten results for 'a good swallow' are probably quite different in meaning to what the good vicar intended. My one thought is that as this is a celebration in a quintessentially English village, Mrs Checksfield's 'swallow' is a gulp from an emboldening cup of tea.
I'm writing an article to commemorate the centenary of these celebrations next year and want to include the most likely meaning of this phrase.
meaning
asked 26 mins ago
Goldbern
113
New contributor
Goldbern is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I have a report of the Peace Celebrations 1919 written by the vicar of a village in Kent (a county in the southeast of England) in which he describes some of the sporting competitions staged in the afternoon, including:
'The sight of all these contests stirred the blood of old and young.
Wager matches were made and run off, Mr. J. Prior beating Mr. E.
Orpin, and Mrs. Checksfield, after a good swallow, proved more than a
match for her husband.'
What could he have meant by 'after a good swallow'? Google, as you can imagine, is no help as the top ten results for 'a good swallow' are probably quite different in meaning to what the good vicar intended. My one thought is that as this is a celebration in a quintessentially English village, Mrs Checksfield's 'swallow' is a gulp from an emboldening cup of tea.
I'm writing an article to commemorate the centenary of these celebrations next year and want to include the most likely meaning of this phrase.
meaning
meaning
asked 26 mins ago
Goldbern
113
New contributor
Goldbern is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 26 mins ago
Goldbern
113
New contributor
Goldbern is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 18 mins ago
asked 26 mins ago
Goldbern
113
New contributor
Goldbern is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 26 mins ago
Goldbern
113
asked 26 mins ago
Goldbern
113
113
New contributor
Goldbern is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Goldbern is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Goldbern is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
2
Any idea what event the Checksfields were competing in? It might be relevant. (I do suspect you're right about the tea; circumstances seem to preclude Mrs Checksfield pulling out a hipflask for a splash of Dutch courage and the vicar considering this all suitable to report.)
– tmgr
18 mins ago
add a comment |
2
Any idea what event the Checksfields were competing in? It might be relevant. (I do suspect you're right about the tea; circumstances seem to preclude Mrs Checksfield pulling out a hipflask for a splash of Dutch courage and the vicar considering this all suitable to report.)
– tmgr
18 mins ago
2
2
Any idea what event the Checksfields were competing in? It might be relevant. (I do suspect you're right about the tea; circumstances seem to preclude Mrs Checksfield pulling out a hipflask for a splash of Dutch courage and the vicar considering this all suitable to report.)
– tmgr
18 mins ago
Any idea what event the Checksfields were competing in? It might be relevant. (I do suspect you're right about the tea; circumstances seem to preclude Mrs Checksfield pulling out a hipflask for a splash of Dutch courage and the vicar considering this all suitable to report.)
– tmgr
18 mins ago
add a comment |
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Goldbern is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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2
Any idea what event the Checksfields were competing in? It might be relevant. (I do suspect you're right about the tea; circumstances seem to preclude Mrs Checksfield pulling out a hipflask for a splash of Dutch courage and the vicar considering this all suitable to report.)
– tmgr
18 mins ago