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Expression: let down



 
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ESL Forums | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
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Expression: let down #1 (permalink) Mon Jun 11, 2007 8:59 am   Expression: let down
 

Hi,

Could you please shed some light on the following passage?

Quote:
Eighteen planes had let down through a beaming white cloud off the coast of Elba one afternoon on the way back from the weekly milk run to Parma; seventeen came out. No trace was ever found of the other, not in the air or on the smooth surface of the jade waters below. There was no debris. Helicopters circled the white cloud till sunset.

1. Does 'let down' simply mean 'descend'?
2. I understand 'not...or' or 'neither...nor' is fine out of question. However, could I use 'not...nor' instead of the two above pairs? (maybe this is a silly question Embarassed )

Thank you!

Haihao
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Expression: let down #2 (permalink) Mon Jun 11, 2007 14:07 pm   Expression: let down
 

Strange use of "let down" here...I agree with you it simply means descended...the author also didn't follow the "not/nor" pair rule. This rule is not strictly followed by most people in real life though.
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Expression: let down #3 (permalink) Mon Jun 11, 2007 14:10 pm   Expression: let down
 

.
1-- Yes
2-- Not a silly question, but I don't think so. You can probably find some with assiduous googling, but it sounds off to me. Either/or and neither/nor are pairs of correlative conjunctions, but not/nor is not. Not (A or B). Neither (A) nor (B).
.
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not nor #4 (permalink) Mon Jun 11, 2007 15:06 pm   not nor
 

Hi Haihao,

Just another thought on the not ..nor pair. I would say this is an acceptable use in conversation where the 'not' is forgotten by the time you come to 'nor' and are not concerned about the fact that 'neither' hasn't been used - if you follow me. Have a look at this:

I have not ever been there in my life - nor come to think of it have I the intention to go there!

Alan
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Expression: let down #5 (permalink) Tue Jun 12, 2007 0:04 am   Expression: let down
 

Thank you all so very much! Now I have a feeling that the whole picture for the 'nor' usage has let down on me. Smile
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