What does 'limbs' mean in this context?





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'As to our second new appointment,' Dumbledore continued, as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away, 'well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, ...




I'm wondering if 'limbs' is used to mean its literal meaning or a special meaning. What does it mean exactly? (arms & legs, large branches of a tree, or something else)



-- From Harry Potter - and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 5.










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  • 8




    I don't think this should be closed as off-topic. dan has researched the meaning of the word "limb" in the dictionary and is still confused. Although the answer turns out to be the literal one, it still needs some interpretation and a learner of English could reasonably believe that it doesn't just mean arms and legs in this context.
    – David Richerby
    yesterday

















up vote
9
down vote

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'As to our second new appointment,' Dumbledore continued, as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away, 'well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, ...




I'm wondering if 'limbs' is used to mean its literal meaning or a special meaning. What does it mean exactly? (arms & legs, large branches of a tree, or something else)



-- From Harry Potter - and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 5.










share|improve this question


















  • 8




    I don't think this should be closed as off-topic. dan has researched the meaning of the word "limb" in the dictionary and is still confused. Although the answer turns out to be the literal one, it still needs some interpretation and a learner of English could reasonably believe that it doesn't just mean arms and legs in this context.
    – David Richerby
    yesterday













up vote
9
down vote

favorite









up vote
9
down vote

favorite












'As to our second new appointment,' Dumbledore continued, as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away, 'well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, ...




I'm wondering if 'limbs' is used to mean its literal meaning or a special meaning. What does it mean exactly? (arms & legs, large branches of a tree, or something else)



-- From Harry Potter - and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 5.










share|improve this question














'As to our second new appointment,' Dumbledore continued, as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away, 'well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, ...




I'm wondering if 'limbs' is used to mean its literal meaning or a special meaning. What does it mean exactly? (arms & legs, large branches of a tree, or something else)



-- From Harry Potter - and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 5.







meaning-in-context word-meaning






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asked yesterday









dan

3,36422256




3,36422256








  • 8




    I don't think this should be closed as off-topic. dan has researched the meaning of the word "limb" in the dictionary and is still confused. Although the answer turns out to be the literal one, it still needs some interpretation and a learner of English could reasonably believe that it doesn't just mean arms and legs in this context.
    – David Richerby
    yesterday














  • 8




    I don't think this should be closed as off-topic. dan has researched the meaning of the word "limb" in the dictionary and is still confused. Although the answer turns out to be the literal one, it still needs some interpretation and a learner of English could reasonably believe that it doesn't just mean arms and legs in this context.
    – David Richerby
    yesterday








8




8




I don't think this should be closed as off-topic. dan has researched the meaning of the word "limb" in the dictionary and is still confused. Although the answer turns out to be the literal one, it still needs some interpretation and a learner of English could reasonably believe that it doesn't just mean arms and legs in this context.
– David Richerby
yesterday




I don't think this should be closed as off-topic. dan has researched the meaning of the word "limb" in the dictionary and is still confused. Although the answer turns out to be the literal one, it still needs some interpretation and a learner of English could reasonably believe that it doesn't just mean arms and legs in this context.
– David Richerby
yesterday










1 Answer
1






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oldest

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up vote
28
down vote



accepted










It's the literal meaning.



The joke is that Professor Kettleburn's job was Care of Magical Creatures, but presumably wasn't very good at it as he has lost at least one of his arms or legs, and he's retired before he can lose any more.






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  • 5




    Another example of this use is the idiom "to risk life and limb", literally meaning to do something dangerous enough that you might die or lose an important part of your body.
    – Andrew
    yesterday






  • 7




    To clarify this answer, the word "remaining" in "remaining limbs" indicates that at least one limb has been lost.
    – Brian
    yesterday






  • 4




    It's pretty much the same joke as the safety notice occasionally seen in optical labs: "Do not look into laser with remaining eye."
    – Ross Smith
    yesterday






  • 2




    @Brian: To slightly extend your clarification, "in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs" suggests that he was at risk of losing another limb soon had he continued his job, which suggests a particularly inept caretaker.
    – Flater
    16 hours ago













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1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes








1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes








up vote
28
down vote



accepted










It's the literal meaning.



The joke is that Professor Kettleburn's job was Care of Magical Creatures, but presumably wasn't very good at it as he has lost at least one of his arms or legs, and he's retired before he can lose any more.






share|improve this answer



















  • 5




    Another example of this use is the idiom "to risk life and limb", literally meaning to do something dangerous enough that you might die or lose an important part of your body.
    – Andrew
    yesterday






  • 7




    To clarify this answer, the word "remaining" in "remaining limbs" indicates that at least one limb has been lost.
    – Brian
    yesterday






  • 4




    It's pretty much the same joke as the safety notice occasionally seen in optical labs: "Do not look into laser with remaining eye."
    – Ross Smith
    yesterday






  • 2




    @Brian: To slightly extend your clarification, "in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs" suggests that he was at risk of losing another limb soon had he continued his job, which suggests a particularly inept caretaker.
    – Flater
    16 hours ago

















up vote
28
down vote



accepted










It's the literal meaning.



The joke is that Professor Kettleburn's job was Care of Magical Creatures, but presumably wasn't very good at it as he has lost at least one of his arms or legs, and he's retired before he can lose any more.






share|improve this answer



















  • 5




    Another example of this use is the idiom "to risk life and limb", literally meaning to do something dangerous enough that you might die or lose an important part of your body.
    – Andrew
    yesterday






  • 7




    To clarify this answer, the word "remaining" in "remaining limbs" indicates that at least one limb has been lost.
    – Brian
    yesterday






  • 4




    It's pretty much the same joke as the safety notice occasionally seen in optical labs: "Do not look into laser with remaining eye."
    – Ross Smith
    yesterday






  • 2




    @Brian: To slightly extend your clarification, "in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs" suggests that he was at risk of losing another limb soon had he continued his job, which suggests a particularly inept caretaker.
    – Flater
    16 hours ago















up vote
28
down vote



accepted







up vote
28
down vote



accepted






It's the literal meaning.



The joke is that Professor Kettleburn's job was Care of Magical Creatures, but presumably wasn't very good at it as he has lost at least one of his arms or legs, and he's retired before he can lose any more.






share|improve this answer














It's the literal meaning.



The joke is that Professor Kettleburn's job was Care of Magical Creatures, but presumably wasn't very good at it as he has lost at least one of his arms or legs, and he's retired before he can lose any more.







share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited yesterday

























answered yesterday









Daniel Roseman

72249




72249








  • 5




    Another example of this use is the idiom "to risk life and limb", literally meaning to do something dangerous enough that you might die or lose an important part of your body.
    – Andrew
    yesterday






  • 7




    To clarify this answer, the word "remaining" in "remaining limbs" indicates that at least one limb has been lost.
    – Brian
    yesterday






  • 4




    It's pretty much the same joke as the safety notice occasionally seen in optical labs: "Do not look into laser with remaining eye."
    – Ross Smith
    yesterday






  • 2




    @Brian: To slightly extend your clarification, "in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs" suggests that he was at risk of losing another limb soon had he continued his job, which suggests a particularly inept caretaker.
    – Flater
    16 hours ago
















  • 5




    Another example of this use is the idiom "to risk life and limb", literally meaning to do something dangerous enough that you might die or lose an important part of your body.
    – Andrew
    yesterday






  • 7




    To clarify this answer, the word "remaining" in "remaining limbs" indicates that at least one limb has been lost.
    – Brian
    yesterday






  • 4




    It's pretty much the same joke as the safety notice occasionally seen in optical labs: "Do not look into laser with remaining eye."
    – Ross Smith
    yesterday






  • 2




    @Brian: To slightly extend your clarification, "in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs" suggests that he was at risk of losing another limb soon had he continued his job, which suggests a particularly inept caretaker.
    – Flater
    16 hours ago










5




5




Another example of this use is the idiom "to risk life and limb", literally meaning to do something dangerous enough that you might die or lose an important part of your body.
– Andrew
yesterday




Another example of this use is the idiom "to risk life and limb", literally meaning to do something dangerous enough that you might die or lose an important part of your body.
– Andrew
yesterday




7




7




To clarify this answer, the word "remaining" in "remaining limbs" indicates that at least one limb has been lost.
– Brian
yesterday




To clarify this answer, the word "remaining" in "remaining limbs" indicates that at least one limb has been lost.
– Brian
yesterday




4




4




It's pretty much the same joke as the safety notice occasionally seen in optical labs: "Do not look into laser with remaining eye."
– Ross Smith
yesterday




It's pretty much the same joke as the safety notice occasionally seen in optical labs: "Do not look into laser with remaining eye."
– Ross Smith
yesterday




2




2




@Brian: To slightly extend your clarification, "in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs" suggests that he was at risk of losing another limb soon had he continued his job, which suggests a particularly inept caretaker.
– Flater
16 hours ago






@Brian: To slightly extend your clarification, "in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs" suggests that he was at risk of losing another limb soon had he continued his job, which suggests a particularly inept caretaker.
– Flater
16 hours ago




















 

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