Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
catenary bangs
English answer:
a fringe cut in a curve that is lower in the middle
Added to glossary by
Charles Davis
Mar 11, 2019 18:03
5 yrs ago
3 viewers *
English term
catenary bangs
English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
Hi all,
I have doubts as to the meaning of catenary here:
Her chin fit within the circle of his thumb and forefinger, and copper, catenary bangs flowed over matching brows like the wings of a hovering bird.
That's a description of a girl from a fiction book (Jack of Shadows by Roger Zelazny, a U. S. fantasy and sci-fi author).
Does it mean that the bangs are cut to a semi-circular shape? Like this, for example?
Thanks in advance!
I have doubts as to the meaning of catenary here:
Her chin fit within the circle of his thumb and forefinger, and copper, catenary bangs flowed over matching brows like the wings of a hovering bird.
That's a description of a girl from a fiction book (Jack of Shadows by Roger Zelazny, a U. S. fantasy and sci-fi author).
Does it mean that the bangs are cut to a semi-circular shape? Like this, for example?
Thanks in advance!
Change log
Mar 13, 2019 06:56: Charles Davis Created KOG entry
Responses
+4
47 mins
Selected
a fringe cut in a curve that is lower in the middle
In other words, what you have suggested.
I tend to agree with Phil here: the writer is trying too hard. It sounds pretentious, and the description is not readily understood. However, though etymologically "catenary" means chainlike, its only dictionary definition a shape:
"the curve assumed by a cord of uniform density and cross section that is perfectly flexible but not capable of being stretched and that hangs freely from two fixed points"
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catenary
This does more or less make sense in the context; I don't know in what other sense the bangs could be "chainlike".
So it's not actually a semicircle (that would look very strange) but a much gentler curve, the curve made by a chain hanging under its own weight: lower in the middle than at either side (though not much lower).
This is more or less the shape often made by the wings of a hovering bird:
https://www.hbw.com/ibc/photo/black-kite-milvus-migrans/bird...
As for "matching brows", this t presumably doesn't mean that the brows match one another (it would be very strange if they didn't, but that the curve of the bangs or fringe matches the curve of the brows, in the sense that the brows curve down towards the middle, though actually the curve is not exactly the same, as your own illustration shows.
I tend to agree with Phil here: the writer is trying too hard. It sounds pretentious, and the description is not readily understood. However, though etymologically "catenary" means chainlike, its only dictionary definition a shape:
"the curve assumed by a cord of uniform density and cross section that is perfectly flexible but not capable of being stretched and that hangs freely from two fixed points"
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catenary
This does more or less make sense in the context; I don't know in what other sense the bangs could be "chainlike".
So it's not actually a semicircle (that would look very strange) but a much gentler curve, the curve made by a chain hanging under its own weight: lower in the middle than at either side (though not much lower).
This is more or less the shape often made by the wings of a hovering bird:
https://www.hbw.com/ibc/photo/black-kite-milvus-migrans/bird...
As for "matching brows", this t presumably doesn't mean that the brows match one another (it would be very strange if they didn't, but that the curve of the bangs or fringe matches the curve of the brows, in the sense that the brows curve down towards the middle, though actually the curve is not exactly the same, as your own illustration shows.
Note from asker:
Yep, "semi-circular" was my bad writing, I just meant a curve (should have called it an upside-down gently sloping arch, I guess). As to the "matching brows", my first guess was that they were copper-red, too, but now I see that it would be strange if they weren't, so it must be about their shape as well. Thanks for the hint! |
Peer comment(s):
agree |
philgoddard
40 mins
|
Thanks, Phil!
|
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agree |
Piyush Ojha
58 mins
|
Thanks, Piyush :-)
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agree |
Jennifer Caisley
: What an odd phrase in the source text - this seems the most logical interpretation!
1 hr
|
Thanks, Jennifer :-) Not a very successful piece of writing, in my opinion.
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agree |
Sina Salehi
9 hrs
|
Thanks, Sina :-)
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you"
54 mins
locks of curly hair
Sugestion
Peer comment(s):
neutral |
Tony M
: Not quite sure how you get from 'catenary bangs' (= the shape of the fringe) to 'curly hair', in locks or otherwise?
6 mins
|
I imagined a type of hair resembling a chain, since "catenary" is not a word normally used to describe fringes. It was just a suggestion.
|
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neutral |
Yvonne Gallagher
: yes, curly is quite a stretch!
1 hr
|
-2
1 hr
necklaced gestures
Another way to say it: elegant necklaced gestures ran matching browns...
Peer comment(s):
disagree |
Tony M
: I don't know where you're getting 'gestures' from? But in any case, this is simply a non-sense in EN.
5 mins
|
disagree |
Yvonne Gallagher
: with Tony
50 mins
|
2 hrs
convex or V(-shaped) bangs
I agree with others that "caternary" is far too obscure here. The type of bangs (or fringe, UK) in your picture would be called micro or baby bangs if that short and the arch would be curved or rounded but even up-curved I think as most bangs dip down/are longer at the sides. If cut straight across it is known as a "blunt" cut. But these bangs are longer it seems if they "flowed over matching brows"
https://vancouversun.com/life/fashion-beauty/nadia-albano-th...
So, if the eyebrows are to match the curve of the bangs it would be more like a convex or V fringe or bangs and maybe even with a widow's peak hairline?
convex fringe
https://fashiotopia.com/2017/12/31/11011/
https://www.pinterest.ie/awellman0086/bangs-convex/
Ha! Just about to post after looking up loads of styles and see in Dbox you've come to that conclusion too! Yes, a widow's peak seems like a good style for the context but convex or V shaped I think is better if you're really not sure and/or don't actually have a pic.
widow's peak hairline
https://www.pinterest.ie/pin/562035228488125279/
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Note added at 1 day 17 hrs (2019-03-13 11:36:17 GMT) Post-grading
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No problem! I thought you were looking for a synonym. "Convex" is fine though "U-shaped" would be better than V-shaped unless it actually has a widow's peak.
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Note added at 1 day 17 hrs (2019-03-13 11:37:28 GMT) Post-grading
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BTW you need to keep it as "bangs" for US English.
https://vancouversun.com/life/fashion-beauty/nadia-albano-th...
So, if the eyebrows are to match the curve of the bangs it would be more like a convex or V fringe or bangs and maybe even with a widow's peak hairline?
convex fringe
https://fashiotopia.com/2017/12/31/11011/
https://www.pinterest.ie/awellman0086/bangs-convex/
Ha! Just about to post after looking up loads of styles and see in Dbox you've come to that conclusion too! Yes, a widow's peak seems like a good style for the context but convex or V shaped I think is better if you're really not sure and/or don't actually have a pic.
widow's peak hairline
https://www.pinterest.ie/pin/562035228488125279/
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 17 hrs (2019-03-13 11:36:17 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
No problem! I thought you were looking for a synonym. "Convex" is fine though "U-shaped" would be better than V-shaped unless it actually has a widow's peak.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 17 hrs (2019-03-13 11:37:28 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
BTW you need to keep it as "bangs" for US English.
Note from asker:
Thanks a lot, Yvonne! |
Discussion
We have been assuming that "like the wings of a hovering bird" refers to how the catenary bangs flowed over her brows, but it's quite possible to read it as referring to the brows:
"copper catenary bangs flowed over matching brows [which were] like the wings of a hovering bird"
That would meet your point about the shape of the wings, Tony.
On the matching brows, which is really the main basis for considering the widow's peak theory, I wanted to mention that although I took "matching" to refer to shape, it is perfectly possible, as you suggested, that it refers to colour. It would not be a tautology; it is not inevitable that her eyebrows were the same colour as her hair; they could have been naturally a different colour or she could have deliberately made them so. And "match" often refers to colour. (Not that it's relevant, but it so happens that apart from a brief period after my birth I have had dark eyebrows and light hair, now grey, all my life.)
Or maybe he meant something in-between. These ones seem rather catenary-like, though of course not absolutely catenary, for me (and they do have an overflow, which is mentioned in the text):
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/26/3d/c7/263dc7b8684f4a8c1293...
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d7/d5/52/d7d552e3b82ab5002d47...
And this last one seems to fit the description more or less exactly:
https://i.pinimg.com/564x/67/25/56/6725560501f92b48ca5c2ff9b...
As for hovering birds, their wings can form various shapes; the point of that comparison is simply that the wings are normally a little higher than the body.
A "widow's peak" fringe would make much sense in my context.
The following looks seem to be very fitting, indeed:
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/SJEAAOSw8cNUP8Lr/s-l300.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/26/3d/c7/263dc7b8684f4a8c1293...
Thank you for your help!
It's really difficult for me to imagine what the author wanted to tell here :)
Maybe like this: https://www.hbw.com/ibc/photo/black-kite-milvus-migrans/bird...
(suggested by Charles Davis below)
https://gb.fotolibra.com/images/previews/341646-hovering-eur...
In any case it's good to know that I'm not the only one embarrassed by this weird word choice :)
https://www.britannica.com/science/catenary
From Wiktionary:
(geometry) The curve described by a flexible chain or a rope if it is supported at each end and is acted upon only by no other forces than a uniform gravitational force due to its own weight and variations involving additional and non-uniform forces.
I would guess that this is the most plausible interpretation for this word in the function of an adjective.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTx6RBY...
Sems plausible for me as the shape for a fringe?
Catenary means chainlike - maybe they're looped across her forehead or something.