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Literary notes about Readjust (AI summary)

The term "readjust" in literature has been versatile, commonly indicating an act of alteration or realignment, both literal and metaphorical. In contexts of internal thought and personal resolution, as seen in Wharton's work [1], it signifies an attempt—often futile—to alter one's fixed mindset. In contrast, Wells employs it in a more technical and pragmatic manner, as when operating a machine [2], or even more broadly to balance ecological systems [3]. Beyond narrative and scientific applications, the word finds a precise, almost mathematical usage in Dudeney's puzzles, where it involves the physical rearrangement of pieces [4, 5, 6]. Finally, Wharton's later use [7] adds a tender, intimate layer, depicting a careful physical readjustment in a moment of caring.
  1. He had so definitely decided on the course he meant to pursue that for the moment he could not readjust his thoughts.
    — from The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
  2. I turned frantically to the Time Machine, and strove hard to readjust it.
    — from The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
  3. In the end, wisely and carefully we shall readjust the balance of animal and vegetable life to suit our human needs.
    — from The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
  4. Of course you must not readjust the pieces or pile them after a cut.
    — from Amusements in Mathematics by Henry Ernest Dudeney
  5. The farmer requires to readjust some of the hurdles so as to enclose 6, 6, and 4 sheep.
    — from Amusements in Mathematics by Henry Ernest Dudeney
  6. Can you readjust the thirty-two tiles so that no two of the same colour shall still be in line?
    — from Amusements in Mathematics by Henry Ernest Dudeney
  7. " She paused to readjust the bottle to the child's bubbling mouth.
    — from The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

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