Both Uses of
elaborate
in
Of Mice and Men
- But Lennie made an elaborate pantomime of innocence.
p. 8.8elaborate = exaggerated (or with lots of detail)
- He took on the elaborate manner of little girls when they are mimicking one another. "Jus' wanted to feel that girl's dress- jus' wanted to pet it like it was a mouse-- Well, how the hell did she know you jus' wanted to feel her dress? She jerks back and you hold on like it was a mouse."
p. 11.6 *elaborate = exaggerated
Definitions:
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(1)
(elaborate as in: elaborate on your plan) add details or explain in detail
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(2)
(elaborate as in: an elaborate design) having details and complexity -- sometimes fancy or ornateDepending upon it's context, this sense of elaborate can additionally imply that details make something either:
- more special than others of its kind in a good way
- more complicated than necessary in a bad way
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(3)
(elaborate as in: an elaborate wink) to exaggerate an actionAt times, this sense of elaborate can further imply that an action was exaggerated by prolonging it (performing it more slowly than normal).
- (4) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)