“Well … it is amazing,” said Bagman, rubbing his smooth chin and smiling down at Harry. “But, as you know, the age restriction was only imposed this year as an extra safety measure. (…The rest is omitted.) (p274, Harry Potter 4, US edition)
NB – Before Triwizard Tournament, underage Harry Potter was chosen one of the representatives of three schools. No one knew the reason. Everyone was confused. Bagman is an organizer of the tournament.
The author has described Bagman's features a lot since he showed up. However, as far as I know, she refers to his chin in this sentence for the first time. I felt a little bit strange with its suddenness. How come she says smooth chin, not chin? Is smooth chin associated with his character? What’s the meaning of ‘smooth chin’ in the first place? Beardless? I might read too much, but I need your help to know whether I’m hairsplitting or not.
Let me straighten it out. I’d like to know
- what 'smooth chin' is.
- if 'smooth chin' is related to Bagman's character.
I’d be happy if you could help me.
Best Answer
It means he doesn't have a beard, and is very likely clean-shaven.
Though initially it might seem that the expression is not related to his character as much as to his appearance, clean-shavenness does indicate fastidiousness and cleanliness, which has much to do with one's character. (Thank you for your input, Stan!)