Can't think of the word!

SLake · Apr 24, 2018

I write historical adventure romance, so rather than using "sexual relations," I'd use "amorous congress" and similarly evasive phrases. Evasive isn't the ideal word describing replacement phrases, but there is a word, I just can't remember it!

I've looked through thesaurus' using clues like evasive but I haven't seen the word. It's not that I need the word for writing, but somewhere I lost the word. Maybe the neurons responsible died, moved on, ran away. I mean I was reading a Civil War notice which warned that ladies who flashed themselves at the occupying soldiers would be arrested as common whores, but that wasn't the notice's wording which instead was beautifully, duh... evasive, and typical of that time in history.

Maybe there isn't such a word, but I'm sure I've used it because I do so like their evasive phrase and word replacements so I talk about it - the word's just on the tip-of-my-tongue, agh! I hope someone can help.

Lauram6123 · Apr 24, 2018

Euphemism?

Helix · Apr 24, 2018

Euphemism would be my choice too.

SLake · Apr 24, 2018

Woohoo! Two geniuses on a single thread!

HUGE thanks to you both!

blacbird · Apr 24, 2018

As an aside, whenever this happens to me as I write, I cuss a couple of times, and enter the word "albatross" in red font, so I can find it later when the right word comes to me. I don't think I've ever written "albatross" as a reality in anything, so it works. I'll leave that to Coleridge.

caw

Dennis E. Taylor · Apr 24, 2018

It's a huge euphemism around your neck.

talktidy · Apr 24, 2018

blacbird said:
As an aside, whenever this happens to me as I write, I cuss a couple of times, and enter the word "albatross" in red font, so I can find it later when the right word comes to me. I don't think I've ever written "albatross" as a reality in anything, so it works. I'll leave that to Coleridge.

caw

Now I've got that bloody Monty Python sketch running in my mind!

Back to the OT. Yeah, it's maddening when that happens. My mind turns to sludge and I can't haul anything vaguely appropriate out of that mess. Second BB's advice. Anything not to lose momentum.

Helix · Apr 24, 2018

Ahaha! I just stopped myself from posting "What flavour is it?"

Oh, wait.

blacbird · Apr 24, 2018

talktidy said:
Now I've got that bloody Monty Python sketch running in my mind!

"Of course you don't smoke it. It's a bloody great sea-bird!"

caw

Roxxsmom · Apr 24, 2018

blacbird said:
As an aside, whenever this happens to me as I write, I cuss a couple of times, and enter the word "albatross" in red font, so I can find it later when the right word comes to me. I don't think I've ever written "albatross" as a reality in anything, so it works. I'll leave that to Coleridge.

caw

Ha. I actually have read a couple of fantasy novels where Albatross come up, but mostly it makes me think of the Monty Python sketch. Or those heartbreaking videos of birds choking to death on plastic

boatman · Apr 24, 2018

Periphrasis perhaps?

'course you don't get bloody wafers with it.

WriteMinded · Apr 25, 2018

My method is like blacbird's. I type WTF in place of any word that is eluding me so I can catch it later. The little devils have a way of popping into my mind at inconvenient times, like in the middle of dinner, in the middle of the night, while I'm waiting for a red light to turn green.

Jason · Apr 25, 2018

Such a common occurrence...Reminded me of a thread started specifically for those in this scenario to enlist the aid of fellow AW’ers:

https://absolutewrite.com/forums/sh...ooking-For&p=10361459&viewfull=1#post10361459

SLake · Apr 26, 2018

boatman said:
Periphrasis perhaps?

'course you don't get bloody wafers with it.

Showing my ignorance of my native tongue, English, agh, but it's the first time I heard of "periphrasis," thanks! The spoken versions of periphrasis via Google and my COD all sound like they're lisping.

blacbird · Apr 26, 2018

SLake said:
Showing my ignorance of my native tongue, English, agh, but it's the first time I heard of "periphrasis,".

I thought it had something to do with digestion. But then again, I'm a Yank . . .

caw

boatman · Apr 26, 2018

SLake said:
The spoken versions of periphrasis via Google and my COD all sound like they're lisping.

In fact it could be a Dutch word. We lived there for a couple of years and failed to get to grips with their language. They seem to have over-long words which contain too many consonants. In addition they include the odd guttural throat-clearing noise. All this meant that any attempt to communicate with a native resulted in them being spat at! (luckily most speak English).

SLake · Apr 27, 2018

If someone told me "periphrasis" was to do with digestion, I would have believed them. As for the Dutch, you probably don't miss their salad cream with chips.

boatman · Apr 27, 2018

SLake said:
If someone told me "periphrasis" was to do with digestion, I would have believed them. As for the Dutch, you probably don't miss their salad cream with chips.

Salad cream and chips - brilliant. Mind you they gave me severe periphrasis!

My wife tells a number of humourous Dutch-food-related stories when we give talks on our boating days - such as being serenaded each week on her trip to the visiting fish stall. As she approached the two proprietors used to salute while singing Rule Britannia at full volume. They used to have a giggle but we did have some communication issues. It all started on our first visit when we bought some lovely white fish cooked in spicy batter as a snack. My wife returned to the stall to asked, 'excuse me, but what type of fish have we just eaten?' 'Two-thirty,' replied the fishmonger.

SLake · Apr 28, 2018

boatman said:
Salad cream and chips - brilliant. Mind you they gave me severe periphrasis!

My wife tells a number of humourous Dutch-food-related stories when we give talks on our boating days - such as being serenaded each week on her trip to the visiting fish stall. As she approached the two proprietors used to salute while singing Rule Britannia at full volume. They used to have a giggle but we did have some communication issues. It all started on our first visit when we bought some lovely white fish cooked in spicy batter as a snack. My wife returned to the stall to asked, 'excuse me, but what type of fish have we just eaten?' 'Two-thirty,' replied the fishmonger.

Lol, maybe that was a Dutch Terry Pratchett fan who meant forty-two.

boatman · Apr 29, 2018

SLake said:
Lol, maybe that was a Dutch Terry Pratchett fan who meant forty-two.

Do you mean Douglas Adams fan?
And if 42 is the answer to the meaning of life, I'm 16 years past it! Sigh.

SLake · Apr 29, 2018

Crap, I got it wrong again! Sorry Douglas

Stop moaning, life begins at forty

(I researched that one, so it should be right!).

boatman · Apr 29, 2018

SLake said:
Crap, I got it wrong again! Sorry Douglas

Stop moaning, life begins at forty (I researched that one, so it should be right!).

It's my party and I'll sigh if I want to!

SLake · Apr 30, 2018

boatman said:
It's my party and I'll sigh if I want to!

"sigh," should be, cry

jjdebenedictis · May 1, 2018

OH, GOSH, I HAVE THAT TIP-OF-THE-TONGUE, BRAIN-WHY-WON'T-YOU-EXCAVATE-THAT-WORD THING ALL THE DAMNED TIME.

I feel ya, is what I'm saying. No suggestions, but I may start using Blacbird's ALBATROSS method; that's legitimately a good way to keep from being stopped dead by a brain-fart.

SLake · May 2, 2018

Well... here's quomodocunquizing in case you ever need it.

Can't think of the word!

SLake

Lauram6123

Helix

socially distancing

SLake

blacbird

Dennis E. Taylor

Get it off! It burns!

talktidy

Helix

socially distancing

blacbird

Roxxsmom

Beastly Fido

boatman

WriteMinded

Derailed

Jason

Ideas bounce around in my head

SLake

blacbird

boatman

SLake

boatman

SLake

boatman

SLake

boatman

SLake

jjdebenedictis

is watching you via her avatar

SLake