Questions tagged [single-word-requests]
This tag is for questions seeking a single word that fits a meaning. To ensure that your question is not closed as off-topic, please be specific about the intended use of the word. INCLUDE A SAMPLE SENTENCE demonstrating how the word would be used. Click on "Info", or "View Tag" and "Learn more..." for more information. Please use the [phrase-requests] tag if you seek a phrase and the [terminology] tag if you seek a term in a specialized subject also.
20,478
questions
11
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Word for the loss of one parent
When one has lost both parents due to death the word orphan is used. This word is generally but not always used for children. It can in spoken English also be used for adults.
My question is what ...
- 356
1
vote
1
answer
94
views
Is there a name for a known untruth being used as a defense or antagonistic tool? [closed]
Is there a word for the perpetuation of a known lie as a plausibly deniable excuse for objectionable beliefs?
I'm thinking of the Lost Cause of the Civil War, which is an argument that the Civil War ...
- 767
-1
votes
4
answers
86
views
General word for where an employee carries out office work
In an office, there are typically various different kinds of environments in which each employee carries out their work. Some have their own rooms, some have cubicles, some only have a desk in an open ...
- 157
0
votes
1
answer
87
views
Word to explain how you feel when your expectations are subverted
Context: I would like to talk about how a book questions the reader's traditional, conservative values about family structures. I want to say we are introduced to a shared household wherein there isn'...
- 13
3
votes
5
answers
459
views
A word or a phrase for aphorism-like rules?
I'm writing something about sets "life rules" like The Rules - The Way of The Cycling Disciple. I want to relate a proposed "set of rules" to existing "rules/sets of rules&...
0
votes
2
answers
40
views
What describes a person who is extremely carefree to the point of risking their life? [duplicate]
What word describes someone who is extremely carefree to the point of risking their lives. The person is not even bad or annoying; in fact, they are vibrant & outgoing. Except they don't extremely ...
- 41
0
votes
1
answer
54
views
Word for alcoholic or nonalcoholic drinks or smokes that guests might bring to a party [closed]
I’m hosting a party and a guest asked if they could bring anything. I want them to bring whatever they’ll enjoy drinking (alcoholic or not) or smoking, but don’t want them to particularly go out of ...
- 163
0
votes
3
answers
72
views
Single word for lack of community spirit
I was reading an article about high density housing and/or constantly being online and came across a single word I had to check the dictionary for and it was used to mean "the absence of a ...
- 716
0
votes
1
answer
93
views
Correct term for a “distraction car”
I’m looking for the term used to indicate a car when it is used to “distract” possible ill-intentioned people from committing a crime.
For instance when a President (or an important politician) ...
- 3,619
-1
votes
1
answer
63
views
Can you please give a name to this type action by kids? [closed]
I asked my son to write few sentences; instead he tried to do naughty things like below. What do I call this type of action by kids in English?
1
vote
4
answers
145
views
Is there a word in English to describe "the pain of watching somebody else perform an action incorrectly"?
For example, watching somebody use the wrong tool for a task, organizing items in the wrong order, etc. A perfect example of a scenario that may elicit this emotion is the "wrong block" meme....
- 113
1
vote
4
answers
138
views
Word for something (rule, law, etc) that is bad for or overly punitive towards poor people?
I find myself constantly trying to talk about laws, rules, regulations, etc that I find to be bad for or overly punitive towards poor people, but I can't think of a word to describe it. For instance, ...
- 11
1
vote
2
answers
144
views
How to describe this gadget in English? ("בית מנורה עם מתג") [closed]
How would you describe this gadget in English?
In Hebrew, I would say "בית מנורה עם מתג", that is, "a lantern house with a switch"- perhaps English has a better way to put it.
- 19
0
votes
0
answers
19
views
What's the right word for someone who shows they can't do something so no one will ever ask them? [duplicate]
What is a word for someone who deliberately proves or shows they can't do something, so that no one ever asks them to do it?
-1
votes
5
answers
67
views
Property that cutting mats with grids have that cutting mats without grids don't?
What's an adjective that describes cutting mats that also have grids drawn on them, and specifically distinguishes them from cutting mats that don't have grids on them?
I guess if there's no cutting-...
- 3,350
3
votes
1
answer
89
views
Is there an obscure word for a collector of obscure words?
I was reading a list on Mental Floss of "Obscure words for Collectors" with words like "Deltiologists" for people who collect postcards and "Arenophiles" for people who ...
- 31
10
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Word that sounds like 'stircus,' means 'frenzied/frenetic
There's a word people around me used to use a lot, phonetically it would spell 'stercus' or 'stircus', I think.
It was used in a context meaning excitable, frenzied, frenetic, that kind of thing. Like,...
- 363
-2
votes
1
answer
69
views
Term for the outer skin of an airplane [closed]
I'm looking for a seven-letter word beginning with NA that means the outer covering of an airplane or engine.
- 1
1
vote
2
answers
87
views
Is there a good word that means "dishonest charges" or "dishonest fees"?
I'm looking for the right term for when a company charges you for something, knowing full well that they are not giving you what you are paying for.
Some background: My power company is charging me ...
- 23
0
votes
4
answers
78
views
How to say that something is not a matter of order?
In its attempts agains depopulation, the government issues new
rules to encourage people to have more child. But childbearing is
not —————— .
I want to say that childbearing is not a matter of order, ...
- 3,336
2
votes
2
answers
125
views
What is the term for a word/name that describes the function?
What is the term for a word/name that describes the function?
One example is dishwasher, which is a machine that does exactly what the name suggests- it washes dishes.
- 21
0
votes
3
answers
71
views
Is there a word for a "diverse amount of knowledge"?
Is there a word for "a diverse amount of knowledge"?
I would be used in a sentence like this:
Trying to give a diverse amount of knowledge covering many fields and genres of text.
- 103
0
votes
3
answers
117
views
What do you call the protrusion that slides into a socket to retain it in place?
In many objects in daily life, for example a remote control battery cover, there's usually a protrusion that slides into a socket to retain the object.
What do you call this protrusion?
A word used ...
- 101
2
votes
3
answers
58
views
Is there a term describing an arrest made for an alternative motivation?
Suppose Bob is a news reporter who honestly reports bad things about the police chief. The police chief doesn't like it, and he wants to arrest Bob for it, but he knows he can't legally do so because ...
Truth
1
vote
5
answers
73
views
What to call something that is an example of its class and stands out? [duplicate]
What can I call a publication that is very well-known in its genre, that set the tone thenceforth for what that genre should look like? To the extent that it is known by everyone who takes an interest ...
- 3,350
0
votes
3
answers
51
views
A word for untrue innovation/invention/discovery
This company publicized ————— as inventions and discoveries.
What they propose as an invention is just a —————.
I am looking for a word/phrase meaning unfounded view/idea/claim or untrue innovation/...
- 3,336
0
votes
2
answers
33
views
An adjective for concern meaning that the concern is relevant/right/correct [closed]
Many people are concerned about the pollution problem in the city. The
concern is ——————— because over the last year the city has been on
unhealthy level for 200 days.
What adjective to use in the ...
- 3,336
-1
votes
3
answers
139
views
What is an appropriate and meaningful substitute to "Thank God" (from an agnostic perspective)?
Raised as a "Mormon" I was taught that saying "Thank God" is blasphemy and sacrilegious. As an agnostic adult, I struggle to replace the phrase w/ something that honestly ...
1
vote
0
answers
38
views
What do we call an object that is going to be, or is being, or has been consolidated?
What do we call an object that is a member in the action of consolidation?
Is "consolidatee" a word?
For example, I have two sets of objects that are going to be consolidated into one single ...
- 11
0
votes
2
answers
76
views
Describing the feeling of being aware of the truth of a situation yet not liking it
I've been attempting to summarise the emotion of knowing the truth about something and disliking it yet pretending it's not the case and not wanting to ask/clarify it, even though it's in the back of ...
0
votes
2
answers
97
views
Single word request to describe if a train is "departing from" or "arriving at" a specific station
I need a word to describe whether a train is "departing from" or "arriving at" a specific station.
For example,
Q: Excuse me. Do you know the [***] of (or between) train T01 and ...
- 201
0
votes
1
answer
43
views
What word can express entirely or partially losing a narrower perceptual experience as a result of its contextualization within a broader one?
I am seeking a word or phrase, likely a verb, to express entirely or partially losing a narrower perceptual experience as a result of its contextualization within a broader perceptual experience.
One ...
- 113
1
vote
0
answers
52
views
What is the apt word for an ironically brief/vulgar description of an entity by a highly educated, accomplished individual? [closed]
For example, a neurosurgeon describing an arterio-venous malformation as a “screwed-up circulation”, or a psychologist telling his patient “that’s your stuff...deal with it”.
Because the professionals ...
- 569
0
votes
3
answers
62
views
Word for throwing an object away to get rid of bad memories
Is there a word or something to describe the act of throwing a physical object to get rid of bad memories or associated thoughts?
- 109
3
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Is there a word for "a broad range of knowledge"?
I am attempting to contrast being an expert in something and having a broad range of knowledge but expertise nowhere. Is there a word to sum up that second element? The sentence I am trying to fit ...
- 41
1
vote
1
answer
45
views
Verb for forcing a situation in which you get more pain in order to avoid being stuck in lesser pain over a longer period of time
Is there a verb for forcing a situation in which you get more pain in order to avoid being stuck in lesser pain over a longer period of time?
Examples:
When one forces himself/herself to vomit, for ...
- 1,036
2
votes
1
answer
142
views
Is there a word equivalent to "sighting" but for hearing?
I'm trying to write a sentence like
Nobody goes near the caves because of monster noises.
"Nobody goes near the caves because of monster sightings" doesn't work because people have not ...
- 29
3
votes
5
answers
186
views
What terms describe humorous acceptance of a compliment?
My wife complimented a chef on his delicate fish cookery last night.
Reply: "They're great, these boil-in-the-bag dishes."
I complimented a violinist on his performance recently and ...
- 28.3k
1
vote
1
answer
56
views
Word for paying for a group purchase (eg. dinner) on a credit card and collecting cash from the other members of the group
Is there a word for paying for a group purchase, like dinner, on a credit card and collecting cash from the other members of the group?
I had a friend who used to call this “snorgling”, but he made up ...
- 11
3
votes
3
answers
846
views
An adjective meaning “present at the place in question” [closed]
One of the employees who were attendant at the meeting asked a
question.
I am looking for an adjective for ‘the employee’ that means ‘who was attendant at the meeting’.
The best I could find was ‘...
- 3,336
4
votes
5
answers
139
views
Word/phrase to describe something bringing about a contrary result [duplicate]
In this sentence, what could be added to say that the result was contrary to the person's intent/expectation?
The meeting was planned to show that the board value employees’
opinions, but (it) ...
- 3,336
1
vote
4
answers
377
views
What is the name for someone who never stays in one place? [duplicate]
Im trying to name a spacecraft for a novel, and am looking for the term for someone (or a group of someones) who never settles in one place, and it always traveling and exploring, something that might ...
- 119
0
votes
3
answers
165
views
What's the word for the idea of something that will happen in the future, sort of like "promise"?
So I have this word at the tip of my tongue, I know it starts with a p, and is similar in meaning to "promise", in usage it would be something like
The only thing I have going for me right ...
- 13
3
votes
5
answers
915
views
Is there a word to describe someone who is procrastinating, perplexed and demotivated?
I am looking for English equivalent word for a Tamil word "மலைப்பு".
Here is the Tamil saying I am trying to translate to English,
களைத்தவனோடு கூட வேலைக்கு செல்லலாம் அனால் மலைத்தவனோடு ...
- 83
3
votes
4
answers
546
views
Word to describe arguments that are convenient, but not rational
Is the a word to describe arguments that are convenient, but not rational. Originally I was using the term specious for that purpose, but specious seems to mean something not quite the same in that it ...
- 1,952
-1
votes
3
answers
146
views
Word to describe someone with all knowledge in some field [closed]
Word that describes someone that has all possible knowledge in some specific field, like an expert.
- 1
0
votes
1
answer
117
views
What is the term for when a person repeats a phrase or word often in speaking?
I apologise if this question has already been asked, but I could not find the original post if it has been.
I'd like to know the word which describes the linguistic phenomena whereby a speaker repeats ...
- 11
0
votes
3
answers
134
views
What is the ability to adapt a learned skill to a new environment called?
I have had this question on my mind for a while and cannot seem to figure it out. Despite the relentless googling I have taken part in for the last 30 minutes, none of the answers I have found seem ...
- 27
0
votes
1
answer
123
views
Word for "clique member"
I'm looking for a single word meaning "clique member." Since "clique" is pejorative, this term or inflection would be pejorative as well, likely used by outsiders though not ...
- 119
0
votes
2
answers
70
views
What word describes ruthlessly energetic teens?
What word describes teenagers who are ruthlessly energetic? - I'm thinking of the word "Vibrant", but it doesn't fit well. The goal is to describe a group of teenagers who are partying ...
- 41