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Could you tell me the meaning of the following sentence "She drew the blinds to curtain off this merry sight"? Thank you .

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Blinds are slats which are hung behind a window, joined by strings, and which can be "drawn," which means they can be turned to close off the view through the window. The sentence means that she manipulated the blinds so that she would not have to see what was outside the window. It is a badly written sentence. The word "curtain" is a noun, and i personally have never seen it used as a verb, which is what has been done in this sentence. I would advise that the word curtain should be used as a noun, and not as a verb. If you learn anything from this sentence, it should be that even native speakers of English can write awkward things which are badly expressed in English.

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http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0VwDdAuYbAuLb83xIg4h*h4UJjljnRyG!LHE5HRWgpSwxKad8bDF42fmDWVuN1g3r8ni*5cc39stxA3Ac4E5GigzYQMXOeLM!k0P8hVnKyBsc5Fh0DQWbUtfX2tENa4Mh/a%20blind.jpg

This is a picture of one type of venetian blind. they are used to cover windows, and can be adjusted to either let the light in, or closed to both darken the room, and to permit privacy, so no one can see inside from the outside.

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"She drew the blinds to curtain off this merry sight"?

It sounds like the woman is doing something that she wishes to remain private, and not be seen by other people. The sentence could have read, "She closed the blinds.........."

muzi- Welcome to A2K!

You have called all your threads "question". That is very confusing. If someone wanted to go back to add to their answer, they would not know which question was which. A better title for this one would have been, "curtain off this merry sight". Then people would know what it was about, and would not have to search through all your other questions.

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Quote:

cur·tain (kûr'tn)
n.
Material that hangs in a window or other opening as a decoration, shade, or screen.
Something that functions as or resembles a screen, cover, or barrier: the curtain of mist before the mountain; a heavy curtain of artillery fire.

The movable screen or drape in a theater or hall that separates the stage from the auditorium or that serves as a backdrop.
The rising or opening of a theater curtain at the beginning of a performance or act.
The time at which a theatrical performance begins or is scheduled to begin.
The fall or closing of a theater curtain at the end of a performance or act.
The concluding line, speech, or scene of a play or act.
The part of a rampart or parapet connecting two bastions or gates.
Architecture. A curtain wall.
curtains Slang.
The end.
Absolute ruin: "If the employee doesn't shape up, it's curtains" (Business Week).
Death.
tr.v., -tained, -tain·ing, -tains.
To provide (something) with or as if with a curtain.
To shut off (something) with or as if with a curtain.

Setanta- Although it IS awkward, the word "curtain" can be used as a verb. I think that the writer was attempting to couch his words in a poetic way, which is confusing to those not familiar with the English language.

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