May 20, 2015 22:23
8 yrs ago
English term
your Arabic language partner
Native in: Arabic 
Works in: English to Arabic, Arabic to English, Arabic, and 1 more.
lay prostrate before
English
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
The sentence:
While mere mortals stumble groggily out of the bed in the morning -- or, worse, lay prostrate before the irresistible lure of the snooze button -- the world’s most successful business leaders have mastered routines to kick off their days with productive vigor.
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/246280
Is it just a figure of speech referring to the state of being weakvulnerable to the temptation of hitting the snooze button? or does it also refer to the image of a person literally lyingsleeping face down in the morning?
While mere mortals stumble groggily out of the bed in the morning -- or, worse, lay prostrate before the irresistible lure of the snooze button -- the world’s most successful business leaders have mastered routines to kick off their days with productive vigor.
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/246280
Is it just a figure of speech referring to the state of being weakvulnerable to the temptation of hitting the snooze button? or does it also refer to the image of a person literally lyingsleeping face down in the morning?
Responses
1 hr
Selected
or even worse, lying face-down in bed, just waiting to hit the snooze button
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Just another description of that same, familiar, horrible feeling of having to get outta bed when you really just don't want to. We've all been there! Seems like a fun text!
Just another description of that same, familiar, horrible feeling of having to get outta bed when you really just don't want to. We've all been there! Seems like a fun text!
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "thank you"
+3
9 mins
Darius Saczuk
United States
United States
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
United States
The Slanguage Buff
Native in: Polish (Variant: Standard-Poland) 
, English (Variant: US)
Works in: Polish to English, Spanish to English, English, and 4 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
124
lying stretched out with their face downward and unwilling to get up
p
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
AllegroTrans
51 mins
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Thank you, AllegroTrans.
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| agree |
Patricia Fierro, M. Sc.
1 hr
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Thanks, Patricia.
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| agree |
Tushar Deep
6 hrs
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Thanks, Tushar.
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+6
12 mins
lying face down in the morning
I think it is your second interpretation: people lying face down, reaching out groggily to hit the snooze button for 5 more minutes in bed.
Of course, there could also be a sort of metaphorical 'lying prostate' in the sense of their being held under the sway of, or worshipping that magical, omnipotent snooze button — but other than the purely linguistic allusion due to the similarity of the language used, I'm not sure we really ought to read that much into it...
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Note added at 1 jour11 heures (2015-05-22 10:10:57 GMT)
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before here doesn't of course mean (specifically) before in time, but 'in front of' or 'faced with' — the use of 'prostate before' reinforces the image of prostrating oneself in worship before the Almighty Snooze Button
Of course, there could also be a sort of metaphorical 'lying prostate' in the sense of their being held under the sway of, or worshipping that magical, omnipotent snooze button — but other than the purely linguistic allusion due to the similarity of the language used, I'm not sure we really ought to read that much into it...
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Note added at 1 jour11 heures (2015-05-22 10:10:57 GMT)
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before here doesn't of course mean (specifically) before in time, but 'in front of' or 'faced with' — the use of 'prostate before' reinforces the image of prostrating oneself in worship before the Almighty Snooze Button
Note from asker:
| Thanks, Tony. I chose your answer. I don't know what happened! |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
AllegroTrans
: a very familiar state of being I might add
42 mins
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Thanks, C! LOL!
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JaneTranslates
: Ask 20 native English speakers the difference between "prostrate" and "prone"; how many would know? How about a writer who uses "lay" instead of "lie"? I'd be tempted to write just "lying in bed" and not bother with "face down." But I probably wouldn't.
5 hrs
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Thanks, Jane!
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Jack Doughty
: I think it is the clever use of a word that in this case combines both meanings.
7 hrs
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Thanks, Jack! Yes, I think the connotation is definitely intentional.
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Yvonne Gallagher
: using "lay" instead of "lie" is implying adoration and worship of the snooze button
9 hrs
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Thanks, Gallagy! Good point...
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| agree |
Tina Vonhof (X)
1 day 2 hrs
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Thanks, Tina!
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B D Finch
: Submitting to the insidious power of the snooze button.
1 day 11 hrs
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Thanks, B! :-)
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