Posted by Kathy F. on August 15, 1997 at 10:51:03:
In reply to Re: Mr. Elliot: Underhung? An underbite, perhaps? posted by kathleen (elder) on August 12, 1997 at 12:33:31
] I have consulted my Webster's on this, and I find the following definition of underhung: having an undehung jaw, i.e., a lower jaw which projects beyond the upper jaw.
] So, we might say that Mr Elliot has an underbite -- which word, I find, is not in my Webster's!
There surely is an abundance of teeth problems in Persuasion: Mrs. Clay suffers from "a protruding tooth"--overbite?--while Mr. Elliot is "underhung"--maybe that's another reason they got together at the end of the novel--their teeth problems cancelled each other out. ;-)
Kathy
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