"This fine-looking, commanding man had become a shadow of his former self.", I don't know how to underatand this sentence. Help me please...
By dennislv
@dennislv (134)
Shanghai, China
October 16, 2013 10:19pm CST
"a shadow of his former self" means he was not like what he had been,right?
Then, I am wondering if "this fine-looking, commanding man" was fine-looking and commanding and his former self had been much worse before, or he had been handsome and imposing but then lost alomst all his merits?
What happened to this man first? Was his "former self" good or bad?
How can I paraphrase this sentence?
1 response
@cupkitties (7421)
• United States
17 Oct 13
To become a shadow of his former self means that due to some circumstances he had become a weaker version of what he used to be.
2 people like this
@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
17 Oct 13
Yep, that's the explanation the Free Dictionary gives.
So you can paraphrase it to say "The man--though fine-looking & commanding still--was reduced to a mere boot-camp recruit in the eyes of those who knew him."
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1 person likes this
@dennislv (134)
• Shanghai, China
18 Oct 13
@mythociate
I am thinking: Maybe this man was terribly ill and was too weak or thin to be like his fromer self?
@cupkitties (7421)
• United States
18 Oct 13
@dennislv There's no telling because the sentence doesn't give that information, but it can be either a physical or mental weakness.
1 person likes this
