Literary notes about splay (AI summary)
The term "splay" in literature is employed with remarkable versatility, serving both literal and metaphorical functions. It often describes physical characteristics that suggest awkwardness or unusual form—illustrated by phrases like "splay-footed" to evoke clumsiness or ungainly movement ([1], [2], [3]) or in references to outwards-projecting architectural features such as the deep, angular openings of a bay or window ([4], [5], [6]). At times, the word even becomes part of a character’s identity as a surname or epithet, underscoring distinctive or unconventional traits ([7], [8], [9]). In addition, "splay" is used to describe specific gestures or positions, such as a "splay hand" to emphasize a particular motion or state of being ([10], [11]), thereby enriching the descriptive language with both visual and symbolic nuance.
- "You order me?" he yelled, "you splay-footed, knock-kneed, chuckled-headed paper-collared, whitegloved sprat from a milk-sick prairie.
— from Si Klegg, Complete, Books 1-6 by John McElroy - Splay hoofs and palmated antlers they knew, and they flung their customary patience and caution to the wind.
— from White Fang by Jack London - Cow hocks, weak pasterns, straight stifles, and splay feet are very bad faults.
— from Dogs and All about Them by Robert Leighton - A walled-up Romanesque bay with a deep splay is on the right, with an arch formed by a row of small granite quoins.
— from Romanesque Art in Southern Manche: Album by Marie Lebert - The loophole represents the inch-wide aperture in the inner side of the splay.
— from Nothing of Importance A record of eight months at the front with a Welsh battalion, October, 1915, to June, 1916 by Bernard Adams - The windows all have a deep splay outside, very simple stone traceries, and glass fitted to wooden frames placed inside against the stonework.
— from Brick and Marble in the Middle Ages: Notes of Tours in the North of Italy by George Edmund Street - The quiet satisfaction of Millie Splay's voice puzzled Jenny and troubled her security.
— from The Summons by A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley) Mason - Harry Luttrell joined Millie Splay upon the stairs and stopped her before she entered the breakfast-room.
— from The Summons by A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley) Mason - Does your worship mean to geld and splay all the youth of the city?
— from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare - “Then you don't keep looking off at things; you can look inside;” and he struck his breast with his splay hand.
— from A Mountain Woman by Elia Wilkinson Peattie - Possessed by a sort of cringing exaltation, he rose to his thin, splay feet, and pointed a meager finger almost in the shocked face of Thusis.
— from The Laughing Girl by Robert W. (Robert William) Chambers
