Can "holes" do anything?

miles · Jan 20, 2008

Perhaps some sentences cannot be changed to active, but I've been trying with the following:

My original:

There are two holes in his bloodstained tunic.

I'd love to change this to something like:

Two holes (litter) his bloodstained tunic.

Only problem is that "holes" can't really do anything like pierce etc . . . "Litter" doesn't seem right either, or is it? Any other ideas, or should I just accept the original and quit obsessing?

Bartholomew · Jan 20, 2008

Two holes marred his bloodstained tunic.

Two holes lay in the upper portion of his bloodied tunic, silent testament to the method of his execution.

A pair of holes, like eyeballs, followed the crease of his bloodstained tunic.

A pair of holes gaped up from the blood-reddened tunic.

Etc.

The verb "To Be" is not always passive, by the way.

Passive:

The holes could be seen through on the bloodstained tunic.

Active:

The holes on his bloodstained tunic were still smoking.

FennelGiraffe · Jan 20, 2008

There's no problem with holes doing something, as long as it's something holes have the ability to do. For example, holes can "reveal" or "expose".

In this case though, I object to "pierce", which seems to me to refer to the act of causing the holes more than it does to the existence of the holes. I'm ambivalent about "litter".

miles · Jan 20, 2008

The verb "To Be" is not always passive, by the way.

Yes, I didn't mean to imply the first sentence was passive, I just wanted to make it more active.

Thanks. I like your suggestions, especially the first.

blacbird · Jan 20, 2008

Black holes suck.

caw

otterman · Jan 20, 2008

"Black holes suck."

Do they really, matter?

slcboston · Jan 20, 2008

otterman said:
"Black holes suck."

Do they really, matter?

matter AND light

IceCreamEmpress · Jan 20, 2008

I think Bartholomew was onto something with "marred". "Spoiled" is another option.

Matera the Mad · Jan 20, 2008

The short snort:
His bloodstained tunic had two holes.

meh - add "neither one wide enough to drive a hay-wagon through, but they sufficed to release his soul" for a regular orgy of verbosity
ack somebody shut me up

Can "holes" do anything?

miles

agent at The Knight Agency

Bartholomew

Comic guy

FennelGiraffe

It's green they say

miles

agent at The Knight Agency

blacbird

otterman

Word Voyeur

slcboston

Pasture-ized

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago

Matera the Mad

Bartender, gimme a Linux Mint