# Busted smile



## Daniel A.

„The boy gave her a small busted smile...“
Bary Eisler - The God’s Eye View

Busted smile înseamnă îi zâmbi larg? Sau îi zâmbi în colțul gurii?
Traducătorul mi-a tradus: a zâmbit vinovat!


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## farscape

Poate poți să mai adaugi o propoziție înainte  și după citat, nu mi-e clar contextul.


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## Daniel A.

The boy shook his head, then stepped close and gave Manus a
hug. It made Manus feel strange, as it had at the baseball game, but
he patted the boy on the shoulder again and that seemed okay. The
boy stepped back and hugged the woman, who kissed him on top
of the head.
Ten minutes for real, Dash. No flashlight.
The boy gave her a small busted smile, went into his room, and
climbed up into his loft. The woman closed the door, and they went
back to the kitchen. A moment later, the boy walked in. Bathroom?
The woman signed. The boy nodded a little sheepishly and went off.
The woman smiled and shook her head. That’s my son. Either he doesn’t
need the bathroom at all, or he needs it right away. Nothing in between.
I was like that, too. Too many interesting things going on. It’s easy
to forget the everyday ones.

Am vazut într-un film expresia „I’m busted - Sunt falit, deci un busted smile ar fi un zâmbet ca un rictus, în colțul gurii?


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## Jaykay1053

Canadian English is my mother tongue...
I've never heard the expression: busted smile.
Hope that helps,
Jaykay


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## farscape

Jaykay1053 said:


> Canadian English is my mother tongue...
> I've never heard the expression: busted smile....
> Jaykay



Right, but given the quoted paragraph, would you say "busted smile" could be interpreted as:

- smiling with broken teeth (unlikely, I think)
- a shy or embarrassed smile
- half a smile, as in unconvincing or polite smile


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## Jaykay1053

From the context, I could infer a meaning for you but I wouldn’t want you to infer from my response that it’s a word I would ever use in this context or any other that doesn’t involve hand-to-hand combat! 

A somewhat wacky  example: “His newly-formed dental shards, cracked jaw, and slashed cheek belayed the busted smile of a broken man.”

More seriously...
Your suggested meanings sound like plausible inferences. I suggest replacing “busted” with: 1. one of them; 2. an alternate adjective; 3. an adjectival phrase; or 4. additional description to convey your intended meaning. 

Sorry I can’t give you a more satisfying response. 
All the best,
Jaykay


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