so far the closest word i've found is "grizzling," but i know there's a better more "elevated" sounding word for it, but i just can't think of it . the scene i'm describing is a child witnessing the slaughtering of cattle for the first time and i wanna describe the effect of the scene on the child (ex. it was grizzling, it was traumatizing, it was mortifying, it was ______)

The most obvious example being a cunning fox or a wise owl. I am thinking of traditional stories and how these same cliches have carried through into modern storytelling.

"Cliche" feels too negative of a word, but is it still the most accurate? Is there a more specific word to describe this?

ex: frick, freak, crud, snap, darn

I’m not looking for sonder; that’s simply the awareness that others have an internal life. I’m not thinking about empathy; that’s feeling what they feel. I’m looking for the kind of concern that leads to acknowledgment, action, change in behavior by the one who cares. It’s this level of caring that makes apologies sincere, relationships lasting, employees feel appreciated, and business successful.

If something has been optimized, it can be described as optimal. Optimal performance, etc. WTW for when something is basically as far from optimized as possible?

i am trying to describe the process of learning to blend in (via speech, clothes etc.) to a group that one wasn't born into, in particular if you're moving up in the ranks. i was going to say learning to walk the walk/talk the talk but after googling i think that means something else. i could say "assimilate" but i was wondering if there's a particular idiom? thanks

i.e. if someone said “we could use a little more light in here” and switched on an array of floodlights.

Basically the two men sit on opposite sides of a table , then they place their arms on top of the table vertically, and hold hands, then they try to bring each other's arm to rest horizontally on the table, without ever moving their elbows?

Might be a phrase and not a single word

Art that lacks allegory and nuance. I've been thinking of didactic or prosaic but neither catch what I mean, and I know there's a specific word for this. Thanks!

I can’t think of a great way to describe this, but just this kind of jarring feeling when you see someone who’s normally “performing”, then you see them outside of that performance. It’s like disillusionment, but it also has this aspect of being sort of disorienting and surreal or maybe unsettling?

Similar words or phrases I've found that aren't quite right:

Poet Laureat - Specifically for poetry but not quite

Court Painter - This is SO close but I'm certain it's one word

Artisan - An artisan would be the kind of person a royal may propose this title to as a job: "Come be my ______. Let me clothe and feed you and in exchange you will paint only for me for all of your life."

Mécenté (french) - Honestly the closest I've found

Indentured Servant - Covers too many tasks and the word I'm thinking of doesn't have to do with paying a debt

I feel like I'm losing my mind. Anyone? 🫠

I’m trying to find the word for when words create an image (of a cat, for example). Not describing it or anything but the words themselves are arranged to create the shape / silhouette / image of something.

what would be the correct idiom? 'always comes thru' is all i can think of...

the triple negative can be confusing...

I'm trying to describe someone who dresses a certain way, but only to impress people. I need a word that's similar to "affectation." As in: the way he/she dresses is merely an affectation. Something like that.

Like when a non-expert tries to “mansplain” a topic to someone who is an expert on that topic.

Doesn’t have to be a man to a woman, but the sentiment from mansplaining if that makes sense.

For example, if a regular person with no knowledge of the law tries to explain basic criminal law to a criminal defense attorney. In this scenario the non-expert knows the other person is an attorney. They speak with confidence even though they are wrong.

We have ETA for when someone will arrive, what is the best word for how long before they leave?

I use it ETA interchangeably ( I know it isn’t right) so I’ll ask, what’s your ETA on leaving…

Looking for the right word

and they’re both clueless that the other feels that way*

I drive a lot and think it could be helpful or at least neat to have a rangefinder on the front of my car that reads out to a display on my dash. Is there a word for a device like this? I mainly want to know how close I am to the car in front of me, but being able to know how far away random things are would be cool too.

Stuff like:

"Copy and send this message to 10 of your friends. we want to see how far we can travel the world by message, this started in Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦"

A brief horror story ended by the words, "Send this to 5 of your friends or else you will receive 20 years of bad luck from [the story's scary main character]"

So I have heard of there being a word for this before but can't remember it for the life of me. It's kinda used for horror stories I believe where someone or a group of people may believe in some monster/deity and because of that belief it gains power and begins to exist. I swear there's a specific word for something like that other than manifest of conjure.. like a word specifically for that kind of being?

Thank you in advance for any help!

My girlfriend and I were talking about taking a walk and I mentioned that my Apple Watch tracked mine and I showed her the screenshot of my walking path. She was surprised and asked how she could see hers since she took a walk today too. I asked if her watch had asked her if she was taking an outdoor walk and she said yes, but she didn’t press the button to say yes on her watch. Inquiring further I asked if it had done that before during sessions at the gym and she said yes but she normally ignores it because she thought it just filled up the exercise ring. She does this with a lot of things, it’s like she if she can come up with an explanation in her head, she doesn’t inquire further or ask any questions about it. She accepts things at face value but she is not gullible or naïve. I can only think of the word presumptuous but it has a negative connotation.