Does this sentence:
He looked shabby, though he was just as a good man as ever underneath.
make sense? I can't clearly understand the part that says "ever underneath". Could you teach me?
asked Mar 18, 2016 at 18:25
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1You're parsing it slightly incorrectly. It's not "(as good a man as) (ever underneath)", it's "he was just as good a man (as ever) (underneath)." As ever means "in the same way that it has always been".– stangdonCommented Mar 18, 2016 at 19:05
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1 Answer
This sentence is worded a little oddly.
"He looked shabby, though he was as good a man as ever, underneath." is how I would phrase it.
On the surface he looks shabby. But underneath that shabbyness there is a good man.
Does that make is clearer?
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Does the word "underneath" mean "at one's core"? Does the sentence mean "He has ever be good man at his core though he looked shabby."? Commented Mar 18, 2016 at 19:02
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2It technically mean "at the core" but "under something". I.e The dog lay underneath the chair." However the sentence above is being a little poetic, so you could rewrite it to say "He looked shabby, though he was as good a man as ever, at his core." and retain the same meaning.– drynynCommented Mar 18, 2016 at 19:14