Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

Okay, I am stuck with this phrase, and I am trying to get my head over this, but I cannot. The sentence goes like this:

"The world he embodied is becoming closer to reality"

The context is, the guy is the inventor of blue jeans, and the phrase is about him.

So, any ideas what "embodied" means here?

Thank you very much in advance!

It's a nothing phrase in any language you choose.

Embodied is something you take the meaning from by using the entire context. I`m not sure the context you`ve given is enough, or that the word has been used property, but I`ll have a try.

So if he was envisaging (visualising in his mind) and living himself a world where blue jeans were the big thing, then he was living the ideal and so embodying that version of his dream. Taking imagination and turning it into something real, he was wearing jeans to every occasion and feeling great in them maybe. If the jeans were becoming popular and others were also wearing jeans and feeling great in them, then this idea he was embodying was becoming a reality for others. I don`t think someone can be the embodiment of a concept that involves others needing to change their ways. I think its maybe bad English to have used it in that sentence.

Embodying something is taking a concept or an idea and living it or being it. Its quite a powerful word, you can`t be a little bit pregnant and you can`t be a little bit of the embodiment of something either. Somebody can be described as the embodiment of evil, it means they are evil through and through. Somebody who embodies veganism, will be truly 100% vegan in all ways.

So embodiment in terms of inventing jeans... I can only think there`s more to the story and I understand why you`re asking the question

I 'Googled' the phrase (as is my want ) and discovered that there are many other people - speakers of various different languages - who are puzzled by this phrase.

I think that it may have been used as an example in an English language course for non-native English language students - and a pretty obscure example at that!

I would advise the OP not to worry if they can't wrest the precise meaning from this phrase, because as it stands, neither can I, and I've been speaking and reading English for around 70 years

Oh how I love the English language, and these are a couple of examples. There are more interpretations.

1. Tangible or visible form of an idea, quality or feeling. i.e. The English Womens Football Team "embodied competition, spirit and skill"

2. Included or contained as a constituent part i.e. "Changes in law embodied in the Housing Act"

Oxford English Dictionary (I think)

Oh, thank you very much for all the information, I later found out that it was from a netflix documentary called "blue gold: american jeans".

So sorry I didn't have full context but your comments have been very helpful.

I think I'll go ahead and use the verb "represent" instead. That's all I can do to express a deep concept with just one word

Thanks all again!

Last word on he subject: That's an absolutely perfect example and it means what it says on the can. American made Levi jeans are just that: Blue and like gold dust. (If my any chance you ever come across an original pair, you can name your price. I think I once saw a documentary on the History channel, similar to that you describe.

I find this whole thread a bit heavy. You lot must have taken some bad stuff

frontalman wrote:I find this whole thread a bit heavy. You lot must have taken some bad stuff

You are the embodiment of something. I am just not sure what.

The world of which he was a shining example is becoming closer to reality.....

or maybe

The world he looked to clothe is becoming closer to reality... i.e. one day everyone will own a pair of jeans.