Context:
An Emirati perfumery claims it has created the most expensive perfume in the world. Called Shamukh and priced at a nostril-flaring $1,295,000 for three liters, its makers say it's the product of three years of research and 494 perfume trials.
Does "nostril-flaring" mean "staggering" here?
It's very expensive, usually the term for something that's too pricey for most people would be described as "eye watering," but because it's perfume, something you smell, the writer has used a bit of artistic licence. "Nostril flaring" is not normally used in this context.
Quote:
eye-watering
adjective
1Causing the eyes to water. ‘eye-watering Scotch bonnet chillies’
2(especially of a figure or amount) extremely high or large. ‘an eye-watering 22% rise in business rates’ ‘eye-watering pre-tax losses of £38.5 million’
You're wrong, the response to something v expensive is not anger or fear. Not a luxury good like this anyway. We're not talking about staples.
You're wrong because you took the phrase literally instead of seeing it as a metaphor for something else.
0 Replies
Linkat
1
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Fri 29 Mar, 2019 12:02 pm
@Jewels Vern,
Jewels Vern wrote:
BTW flaring nostrils are usually associated with anger or fear.
I think also because they are referring to perfume that they are using this term - maybe a little out of context to its true meaning - kind of a take on the nose/scent of perfume.
I'd probably think outrage is a bit more fitting - kind of fits the association of the anger related to when you would flare your nostrils - I think the use of these words draw a visual when describing.
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