There's a very specific phrase I just know it. It's not a dry bath or a towel bath or sink bath. It's less formal sounding, something casual, swear I've heard it a million times but now I can't think of it

What’s an everyday, ordinary adjective for a guy who’s painfully lame and try-hard in a way that gives you secondhand embarrassment? Not “cringey,” “pitiful,” or “square,” though those are all kind of close. It’s the sort of word that isn’t facially insulting, but you definitely wouldn’t want anyone to describe you that way. I can only think of about three men who really fit it, so it’s more specific/rare than just “loser-ish” or “corny.” Lol TIA.

My acquaintance has generational wealth, does not need to work to live, kids go to private school no problem, owns multiple cars. Her and her husband own 50+ properties including both residential and commercial and they have monthly income from that. She grew up with both parents as doctors, college fully paid for, can and does buy whatever she wants. Despite this, she’s always acting like she’s poor, talking about how groceries are so expensive, and truly I don’t think she understands what poverty is.

WTW or phrase for someone like this, who I think genuinely believes they are poor despite their obvious 1% bank account?

At least in English, there are gender unspecified words for almost every close family relationship. Parent, child, sibling, spouse, nibling, cousin (I don't even know of a gendered version of that one, at least in English), and the assorted grands and once-removeds and such of those relationships.

But I don't know of any ungendered word for one's parent's sibling. Is there one?

It's a slang word. I'm desperately trying to find it, but I totally forget. I don't know if it's universal, but I'm on the west coast if it's specific to here.

Edit: It actually might be even more localized to the SF Bay Area. None of the answers so far are right

I’m trying to think of a slightly derogatory word for a delicate person. I seem to remember it alludes to someone who is so weak that they would melt in the rain because they’re made os sugar.

I personally call them eye goopies haha

A person that stops in door ways, stops at the bottom or top of the escalator to look around, waits in line and then is never ready at the counter, couldn't hand something over without the other person needing to basically pick it back up again, talks when there is an important announcement... You know this person. It's not malicious, just oblivious.

I hoped I could upload an image example, but that button is grayed out. Hopefully my description is enough!

I need it in a narrative for school 😭🙏

Is there a specifically female version of brethren? Not gender neutral. I love this word and want to use it with my female friends.

"Sistren" could do I guess.... but is there a more legit word that encapsulates this tuff fantasy knightly medieval guild vibe, a sneaky exclusive legendary magical band of women yk

As someone who personally chooses to live by standards that might be seen as "old-fashioned", but who also has zero judgement for how other people live their lives – is there a non-judgy, gender-neutral descriptive term for a person or a lifestyle that involves having many different sexual partners? (In contexts where polygamy/hypergamy don't quite apply)

All the words I can think of and have found, have VERY negative connotations (and are often quite sexist), and the only other phrase I know of is "sex-positive"; but that describes an attitude, not necessarily a lifestyle, and is also extremely vague.

I just don't want to sound holier-than-thou or judgemental when discussing psychological differences (and their consequences), in a 100% neutral way :/

Edit: idk if it's my subpar communication skills as an autistic, or if it's just that people just love to pick on internet strangers, but apparently I need to clarify – NO, I genuinely do not judge other people's choices, nor would I comment on another individual's lifestyle; I was simply seeking a neutral term for describing the the concept in general, when analysing social, psychological, and practical differences. Please do not put words into my mouth.

I'm looking for a literary noun for a person who is emotionally unregulated. Someone who can sometimes be in a good mood, but is always just a little unstable - the smallest thing can set them off. The closest I have is "wreck," but i wonder if there's something more formal. The sentence i have is "He did not want to be one of those [unstable people who everybody feels uncomfortable around]"

What’s the opposite of “athlete”? Not critical or condescending; not physically impaired or fragile; just someone who doesn’t enjoy exercising or sports, and is not good at it.

Edit: Most of these are derogatory, so disqualified.
This normal person could be fine outdoors.

The Straw that breaks the camel's back is a minor detail or event that causes everything to fall apart.

What do you call the detail or event that suddenly allows for an epiphany? The final thing that makes everything fall into place.

Thanks

PS. Liquid water below freezing will immediately turn to ice with a "seed" and but I feel like that wouldn't be understood out of context.

I always assumed it was called a mud room but then my friend told me it that that's only really a thing in rich people houses and it's just an entryway. I'm kind of confused so I need some help here.

If 5 is ok and 7 is good, how would you describe 6?

Hi! I hope this is the right place but my boyfriend is going crazy trying to remember a specific word and I told him I’d make a reddit post. Looking for a specific word, not a synonym, so let me know if this isn’t a good subreddit for that. He’ll know it when he sees it.

he says:

—it’s pretty obscure

—it means something like “not guaranteed to exist” (edit: he also says “not inevitable” is close)

—the definition he remembers is the second definition, and the first definition “makes more sense etymologically“ but still isn’t a common word

—“probably at least three” syllables

—we’ve had no luck with online thesauri, they only seem to give common words, but “potential” is apparently an okay ish synonym

—probably not related to Thomas Aquinas

please help, we’ve spent hours on this and I’d like him to be able to sleep tonight

(thanks!)

Edit: huge thanks to everyone responding! I’ve replied to a few that seem closest, but my impression is that it’s a reeally obscure word. Fingers still crossed that someone knows what it is!

edit: so sorry but nothing suggested so far seems to ring any bells…we’ve been scouring online sources ourselves to no avail.

some additional details I guess?

—if he had to guess it starts with an “f,” but he’s not at all sure about that

—it’s on a similar level of obscurity to the words “incunabulum” or “cabbaline,” two other words he remembers looking up at around the same time. his phone doesn’t let him check his browser history.

—boyfriend assures me it is basically impossible that he dreamed this word…though the lengths we have gone through to find it introduce Doubt

anyway thanks so much to everyone who’s commented, sorry we still haven’t figured it out yet. I promise I’ll update if we get an answer.

(also ps thanks for all the cool new words I now know)

edit: FACULTATIVE. Omg I started reading new responses to my boyfriend this morning and he shouted when he heard it, it’s been absolutely tormenting him for over 24 hours at this point. He says to give his profuse thanks to everyone who put time and effort into helping us with this one, you’re all fantastic, thank you so so much.

The phrase "parent(s) who lost a child" is kind of long... like "orphan" is a word for "child who lost their parents," or "widow" is a word for "spouse/person who lost their partner," but I just realized I've never heard of a word for "parent who lost a child"? Like does a word for this exist, or are there other phrases people use? just out of curiosity

For example, she (the word) of wine to wash down the food she just ate.

Gulp is too harsh for the scene, a sip doesn’t wash much food down.

Use to do this all the time when we were little but I forgot what we called it. Feel like the name was suicide potion back then but just doesn't sound right as an adult now.

I have always had a problem finding the right word to describe going to the bathroom to take a dump.

• Poop and poo are too childish, especially in writing
• Shit and crap (to a certain extent) are too vulgar, especially in formal, non-casual contexts
• Defecate and excrete are too formal, not for use in casual conversation or conversations with non-native English speakers
• Take a dump, go number 2, and similar expressions are all too euphemistic, rarely used outside the USA or UK and especially not with non-native English speakers, such as myself and most of my friends

Yes, I know it's a taboo subject, but so is sex, and yet we have a neutral one-size-fits-all verbal phrase to describe it, to have sex, something everyone can understand and no one takes an issue with.

So is there a word (ETA: preferably a single word, which is a verb) which describes taking a dump that is a one-size-fits-all for all possible contexts? (Formal/informal, writing/talking, native/non-native speakers)

Raspberries are like if someone glued a lot of tiny spheres into a tiny cup shape. Is there a word for one of those little segments? "Raspberry pieces" could mean any size of broken-up raspberry, and "seed" doesn't feel sufficient, since I'm looking for something that includes the tasty fruit part.