From the novel The Spirit of the Place by Samuel Shem:
Selma stared at him. He saw a cloud pass across her gaze. She sighed. "Orville-doll, there's nothing else but this."
What does "a cloud pass across her gaze" mean?
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Sign up to join this communityFrom the novel The Spirit of the Place by Samuel Shem:
Selma stared at him. He saw a cloud pass across her gaze. She sighed. "Orville-doll, there's nothing else but this."
What does "a cloud pass across her gaze" mean?
This phrase is a less-common variant of a common metaphor which uses cloudy weather to represent negative emotion visible in a person's face. Here are some dictionary sources to demonstrate some other variants of this metaphor:
If a person's face clouds over, they suddenly look unhappy or worried:
At the mention of her dead husband, her face clouded over.-- Cambridge Dictionary, cloud over, meaning 2
Used to refer to a state or cause of gloom, suspicion, trouble, or worry.
‘the only cloud on the immediate horizon is raising a mortgage’A frowning or depressed look.
‘a cloud passed over Jessica's face’-- Lexico, cloud, meaning 2
If your eyes or face cloud or if sadness or anger clouds them, your eyes or your face suddenly show sadness or anger.
[literary]
Trish's face clouded with disappointment.
As he looked at Katherine, great sorrow clouded his eyes.-- Collins Dictionary, cloud, meaning 6