How would you interpret this sentence?
Our waitress slipped a pad and pencil from her apron pocket, then dropped the pencil. Deliberately, I could vouch. She knelt to retrieve it, all lowered lashes and ruffled décolletage, the cup runneth over. My stars, as Mrs. Brown would put it.

How would you interpret this sentence: …all lowered lashes and ruffled décolletage, the cup runneth over?
1. How would you interpret the word ‘all’ here?
2. Can I interpret ‘lowered lashes’ literally? Does it mean she lowered her eyelashes?
3. I think the word ‘cup’ refer to her Bra, right?
Thanks! And this excerpt is taken from The Lacuna by Kingsolver.

Question

How would you interpret this sentence?
Our waitress slipped a pad and pencil from her apron pocket, then dropped the pencil. Deliberately, I could vouch. She knelt to retrieve it, all lowered lashes and ruffled décolletage, the cup runneth over. My stars, as Mrs. Brown would put it.

How would you interpret this sentence: …all lowered lashes and ruffled décolletage, the cup runneth over?
1. How would you interpret the word ‘all’ here?
2. Can I interpret ‘lowered lashes’ literally? Does it mean she lowered her eyelashes?
3. I think the word ‘cup’ refer to her Bra, right?
Thanks! And this excerpt is taken from The Lacuna by Kingsolver.

Answer

'All' serves as an intensifier here, probably closest to this definition from Longman: 5	used to emphasize that you mean the greatest possible amount of the quality you are mentioning.

I think 'lowered lashes' could be literal. He means the waitress is deliberately flirtatious.

Yes, 'cup runneth over' refers to her bra. It's also a pun that refers to a Bible verse from the 23rd Psalm. "My cup runneth over' refers to having more than one needs.

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