1. to gossip over village politics - to talk about the details o f
other village inhabitants' behaviour and private lives, often
including information that is not true. 2. to try a good slap-up
supper - to try to cook a splendid supper. 3. Our light-heartedness
was gone. - We no longer felt cheerful/Our cheerfulness was
gone./We no longer felt care-free. 4. Then we struck. - Then we
went on strike./Then we said that we wouldn't scrape the potatoes
any more./Then we refused to work any more. 5. We should
require the rest of the evening for scraping ourselves. - We
should need the remainder ofthe evening for getting rid ofthe
potato scrapings that cover us from head to toe. 6. We overhauled
the hampers. - We carefully/thoroughly examined the contents o f
the hampers. 7. All the odds and ends and the remnants. - All the
leftovers. 8. Every little helped. - Every amount of food however
insignificant might be ofsome use. 9. George stood for precedent.
- George stood for using the existing customs and former decisions
as a guide to the present action. 10. He would rather be on
the safe side and not try experiments. - He would rather not take
chances/not take risks. (He would rather play it safe and not try’
experiments.)