Both Uses of
efface
in
Passing, by Nella Larsen
- That half-effaced seeking look, did he always have that?†
p. 95.1 *effaced = removed completely from recognition or memory
- And though she was aware of the slight primness in her words and attitude, she had neither power nor wish to efface it.†
p. 83.6
Definitions:
-
(1)
(efface as in: efface the memory) remove completely from recognition or memory -- sometimes by erasing
-
(2)
(efface as in: efface herself) to make oneself inconspicuous or unimportant
-
(3)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
More rare, specialized senses include:- ballet -- a way of standing at an angle that hides part of the body from view
- medicine -- describing the cervix as getting shorter, softer, and thinner during labor