Tell me more ×
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 4 down vote favorite

Sometimes after encountering certain events or incidents, we may consequentially sense a kind of uncanny feeling. It often feels like there is "something more to it" or "certain enlightenment or revelation" ahead for us to find out. The feeling is generally positive, something that we are looking forward to know "what's next".

What do we name/describe this kind of feeling as?

share|improve this question
1  
suspicion, inkling? – tcovo Mar 7 '12 at 18:04
1  
Presque vu may be one small instance of such a feeling; that is, a hyponym of what you seek. – jwpat7 Mar 7 '12 at 18:09
This resembles the feeling that Lewis Thomas says the semicolon engenders in him: – John Lawler Mar 7 '12 at 19:47
"I have grown fond of semicolons in recent years. The semicolon tells you that there is still some question about the preceding full sentence; something needs to be added; it reminds you sometimes of the Greek usage. It is almost always a greater pleasure to come across a semicolon than a period. – John Lawler Mar 7 '12 at 19:47
"The period tells you that that is that; if you didn't get all the meaning you wanted or expected, anyway you got all the writer intended to parcel out and now you have to move along. But with a semicolon there you get a pleasant little feeling of expectancy; there is more to come; to read on; it will get clearer." – John Lawler Mar 7 '12 at 19:48
show 1 more comment

3 Answers

up vote 4 down vote accepted

The feeling is generally positive, something that we are looking forward to know "what's next".

I suggest anticipation.

share|improve this answer
+1 You, sir, have hit it. Anticipation is excellent, and better than the rest because of its largely positive connotation. – Daniel δ Mar 7 '12 at 20:26
Odd how it was so easy to come up with foreboding words that suggest imminent doom, but far more challenging to find something optimistic. Not something I would have anticipated. – J.R. Mar 7 '12 at 21:38
Thank you, thank you. :-) – CesarGon Mar 8 '12 at 11:23
up vote 3 down vote

Suspicion comes to mind, though a little vague, and it has connotations of mistrust:

5. imagination of anything to be the case or to be likely; a vague notion of something.

Hunch is the best I can think of, as it describes an intuitive idea of circumstances which is not based on proof.

As to being a vague but positive "what's next" feeling, such as you describe, I'm not sure there is a concise term for it.

share|improve this answer
up vote 3 down vote

Uncanny isn't bad.

Eerie or haunting might work, particularly if the "something more to it" is inclined to be a negative thing. (I've used spooky to describe this feeling on occasion, but that's not really a very accurate word, unless one is focused on the unexplainable or supernatural).

Ominous and premonition usually connote some bad feelings about what is to come as well.

Hunch is more neutral, defined as a feeling that something is true or will happen, although no definite facts about it are known.

Some possible idioms:

Sixth sense; sneaking suspicion; gut feeling.

share|improve this answer
I think "premonition" or "hunch" would fit what the OP wants. – FrustratedWithFormsDesigner Mar 7 '12 at 20:08

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.