Wu Ting
How would you interpret the word ‘sweeping’ in the context? How would you interpret the word ‘sweeping’ in the phrase ‘the erratic movements of the knights and the sweeping mobility of the queens’? Thanks! It’s from The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by McCullersthe context: Sometimes in the evening the mutes would play chess. Singer had always greatly enjoyed this game, and years before he had tried to teach it to Antonapoulos. At first his friend could not be interested in the reasons for moving the various pieces about on the board. Then Singer began to keep a bottle of something good under the table to be taken out after each lesson. The Greek never got on to the erratic movements of the knights and the sweeping mobility of the queens, but he learned to make a few set, opening moves. He preferred the white pieces and would not play if the black men were given him. After the first moves Singer worked out the game by himself while his friend looked on drowsily. If Singer made brilliant attacks on his own men so that in the end the black king was killed, Antonapoulos was always very proud and pleased.
Nov 25, 2015 3:51 AM
Answers · 1
When used this way, "sweeping" means something is extensive. For example, "sweeping changes" would mean there are many changes being made. The queen in the game of chess can move forward, backwards and from side to side in straight or diagonal lines. It can move as many spaces as the player chooses in those lines. Because the piece can be moved in so many ways it is described here as having sweeping mobility.
November 25, 2015
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