Search from various English teachers...
Barclay
no one told him about bushels
Jeffrey Archer's "Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less":
Harvey Metcalfe gave precise details of his gifts to the Democratic Party. Most people do not divulge the exact amount they give to political parties, but Harvey only know about lights --- no one seemed to have told him about bushels.
question: what do "lights" and "bushels" mean here?
thank you for your help and your time.
May 20, 2014 2:24 AM
Answers · 2
Hi,
Jesse is indeed correct as it refers to that parable about not hiding your light under a bushel. If you were to hide your light under a bushel it can be taken to mean that you are not a confident person or not boastful.
This sentence "but Harvey only know about lights --- no one seemed to have told him about bushels". Is sarcastic humour which is suggesting that Harvey is a boastful person. As most people do not say (hide their light) what they have given to a political party.
Here's the definition of Bushel:
noun
a Brit unit of dry or liquid measure equal to 8 Imperial gallons. 1 Imperial bushel is equivalent to 0.036 37 cubic metres
a US unit of dry measure equal to 64 US pints. 1 US bushel is equivalent to 0.035 24 cubic metres
a container with a capacity equal to either of these quantities
(US, informal) a large amount; great deal
www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/bushel
Hope this helps :)
May 20, 2014
I believe it is a loose reference to a parable from the New Testament. Jesus told people to let their light shine instead of hiding it under a bushel. Meaning you should tell people what you believe instead of hide it.
In this case it just means Harvey didn't care about people knowing who he supported.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamp_under_a_bushel
May 20, 2014
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
Barclay
Language Skills
Chinese (Mandarin), English
Learning Language
English
Articles You May Also Like

Same Word, Different Meaning: American, British, and South African English
12 likes · 10 Comments

How to Sound Confident in English (Even When You’re Nervous)
13 likes · 11 Comments

Marketing Vocabulary and Phrases for Business English Learners
10 likes · 6 Comments
More articles