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ESL forum >
Ask for help > the meaning
the meaning
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windflora
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the meaning
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Hi, There is a sentence here which i cannot easily understand:
"Meanwhile Jeff, one of the older boys, filled his basket to overflowing." In this sentence what does "overflowing" mean? Does it have a meaning like "covered with water"? And why does it take "to"? Pls answer me as soon as possible... Thanks.. |
24 Oct 2010
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boydegg
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If you fill something to overflowing, it means things are spilling out of it.
If you fill a jug to the top with water, no problem. If you pour in more water once it �s full, the jug will overflow. It �ll be overflowing, and the water will spill out onto the table.
If you �re filling a bath, don �t forget about the running water for too long. If the bath overflows, there �ll be water all over the floor.
Is that okay?
Brian
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24 Oct 2010
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kodora
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Fill something to the brim /to overflowing means fill something completely
Dora
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24 Oct 2010
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savvinka
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I think that means that basket is full with water to the brim. |
24 Oct 2010
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Lina Ladybird
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I beg to differ, dear savvinka... 
Filling a container with water to the brim just means that it �s completely full, but it �s not overflowing yet! It �s overflowing only when it brims over. That is when the water is running out.
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24 Oct 2010
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almaz
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Yes, to the brim and overflowing are usually two distinct liquid-y states. The brim is the topmost edge/lip of a receptacle so if it goes over the brim, it �s, well, overflowing. Mind you, a basket is not normally used for liquid but at a pinch �overflowing� might refer to flowers, sweets, fruit and so on.
[PS - when I was a kid in the Kirk, we used to sing "my cup is full and running over". I was never sure but I think it referred to a sort of religious joy or ecstasy only Presbyterians could experience]
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24 Oct 2010
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ldthemagicman
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Dear Almaz, (and Boydegg and Ladybird)
You are right!
The hymn goes:
"Running over, running over:
My cup is full and running over.
Since the Lord saved me,
I �m as happy as can be:
My cup is full and running over"
I think that the writer wanted to indicate to us that God has given us so many Blessings, so many Good Things, that our Cup of Life is not merely full, it is actually �running over �, �flowing over �; �over-flowing � with Good Things. The Cup is more than full: it is full to overfowing.
It is not full TO half-way! It is not full TO the top! It is not full TO the brim! It is full TO OVERFLOWING!
In the example that you give, the basket was so full that the fruit, vegetables, etc. were �overflowing�, (they were falling out onto the table), because there were so many, and the basket was not big enough to hold them all!
Les |
24 Oct 2010
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windflora
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Hey,
You are great, thanks... |
24 Oct 2010
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