411 / errant lightbulbs / to be large with sth.

Hi E-team,

I read: “Do you want the 411 on her”. From the context it was written in I’d figure it means information. Am I correct and would this be an actual phonenumber like 911 for emergencies?

“She is checking for errant lightbulbs”. Would errant mean broken in this sentence and is it a common way to phrase it, because I only found errant in my dictionary as: behaving wrongly in some way esp. by leaving home; traveling; staying outside the proper path.

“I am so large with not knowing”. What does to be large with sth. mean and would this be a common phrase?

Thanks in advance

Ute

Craig,

thanks for responding. You guys at E-Baby really are the greatest. Quick and in-depth as always.
Given your hint on my 2nd question I guess was able to figure out its meaning in this context. This was from a “Roswel-transcript”(the TV-show). Two of the boys are talking about a girl so obsessed with creating the perfect Christmas for everyone, they even call her the “Christmas Nazi”, because everybody has to help according to her lists and agenda.
PHILIP: Where’s the Christmas Nazi?

MAX: Last I saw, she was examining our outdoor lights for errant bulbs.

(Isabel comes into the house, dragging the tree that Max got)

ISABEL: Max. This is, by far, the most pathetic Christmas tree I have ever seen. Did you even refer to my diagram? ........
So I think in this case errant means: AWOL

Thanks again

Ute

In re: “I am so large with not knowing…”

This is a very idiotmatic way of saying “I don’t know, and that bothers me so much that I am completely obssessed with the fact that I don’t know!” or “I am preoccupied with needing to know”. This is not a common phrase or usage, mainly because it can be easily misunderstood or confusing. It is very similar, and may be related to the more common phrase “large with child” which means very pregnant. Best use of “large with” would be something that one could also be “pregnant with”, such as “he is large with ideas” (he has lots of them and will offer them soon).

Outstanding question, by the way! Very literary.

Joan

Hi Joan,

thank you so very much for your great explanation. There is just one thing I don’t quite understand. “To be large with child” meaning to be very? pregnant. I thought this was one of those things you either are or aren’t ;-) Or would this mean like 8-9 months pregnant? Maybe you – or somebody else – can find the time to drop me a note, I’d really appreciate it?!

Hi Craig,

Unfortunately Seinfeld never really caught on here in Germany, probably due to the dubbing which more often than not really sucks (pardon my French). But maybe I can get hold of some transcripts. I know that’s not the real thing, but better than nothing.


Thank you guys again for taking the time to answer my questions and best wishes from an icy Germany (God, we even had snowfall in some regions yesterday and it’s June!!!)

Ute