Jul 1, 2008 17:00
15 yrs ago
English term
Germany
I talk Turkey... and so will you!
Native in: Turkish 
Works in: English to Turkish, Turkish to English, German to Turkish, and 1 more.
to pack a / someone's pillowslip
English
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
The author mentions a girl, much adored in the neighborhood. He is one of her admirers himself and right after telling an incident where she was subject to harassment in the street for being Jewish, and how she handled it (she doesn't give a damn and keeps walking), he says exactly this:
"At the same time I was lost in admiration for her - for the way she hadn't flinched in the street and her resilience, now, when everyone else was mentally packing her pillowslip."
I couldn't make any sense of this part: "packing her pillowslip", nor could find any related idiom. Can you help me please?
Many thanks in advance.
"At the same time I was lost in admiration for her - for the way she hadn't flinched in the street and her resilience, now, when everyone else was mentally packing her pillowslip."
I couldn't make any sense of this part: "packing her pillowslip", nor could find any related idiom. Can you help me please?
Many thanks in advance.
Responses
| 3 +6 | packing her things together |
Melanie Nassar
|
Responses
+6
6 mins
Melanie Nassar
United States
United States
Native in English
&
English
United States
dedicated, prompt, accurate
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, English, English to German, and 1 more.
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8
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packing her things together
I have never heard this phrase, but it brings to mind using a pillowcase as a bag for packing ones things in, such as a tramp might use.
Everyone was mentally packing her pillowcase means that they were already expecting her to be taken off with a few belongings (Nazi era?)
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Note added at 39 mins (2008-07-01 17:40:25 GMT)
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Aha, a bit more context helps. In that case, "mentally packing her pillowcase" could mean that they were waiting for her to give up (or be forced, it still happened in the Soviet era), pack up a few things and leave. The pillowslip just denotes the haste and the small amount of stuff being taken, but need not be literal of course.
Everyone was mentally packing her pillowcase means that they were already expecting her to be taken off with a few belongings (Nazi era?)
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 39 mins (2008-07-01 17:40:25 GMT)
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Aha, a bit more context helps. In that case, "mentally packing her pillowcase" could mean that they were waiting for her to give up (or be forced, it still happened in the Soviet era), pack up a few things and leave. The pillowslip just denotes the haste and the small amount of stuff being taken, but need not be literal of course.
Note from asker:
| Actually, this is the post-WWII USSR, but you are still right I think: "everyone was expecting her to pack and leave" might be the meaning. (Never thought it this way :-) Let's wait for more comments, though. Thank you, Melanie. |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you!"
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