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Alternatively, the connotation of the word may be thought of as the set of all its possible referents (as opposed to merely the actual ones). A word's denotation is the collection of things it refers to; its connotation is what it implies about the things it is used to refer to (a second level of meanings is termed connotative). The connotation ...
While firm, obstinate, and pig-headed are all synonymous with stubbornness, the emotive connotations of these words are different. Firm carries a positive connotation, obstinate carries a neutral (or slightly negative) connotation, and pig-headed fool carries a negative connotation. Thus, most individuals have a positive reaction toward the ...
As a result, people may say well-meaning—but massively invalidating—phrases to people struggling with something. Here, experts share the harm in toxic positivity and 35 phrases to think twice ...
The term originates from an apocryphal story about a poorly educated Catholic priest saying Latin mass who, in reciting the postcommunion prayer Quod ore sumpsimus, Domine (meaning: 'What we have received in the mouth, Lord'), substitutes the non-word mumpsimus, perhaps as a mondegreen. After being made aware of his mistake, he nevertheless ...
The words democracy, socialism, freedom, patriotic, realistic, justice have each of them several different meanings which cannot be reconciled with one another. In the case of a word like democracy, not only is there no agreed definition, but the attempt to make one is resisted from all sides. It is almost universally felt that when we call a ...
The One Time It's Best To Say "I'm Busy" All of the above responses are great swaps for "I'm busy," but Dr. Cooper says there's one time when the phrase is the best one to go with.
Baby: Term often used to tease others for being childish or too young, or for behaving in an immature way. Bag lady: A homeless old woman or vagrant. Barely legal: [6] A term used to market pornography featuring young people who are "barely legal" (only just reached legal age of majority or the age of consent, or both). The term fetishizes ...
An idiom is a common word or phrase with a figurative, non-literal meaning that is understood culturally and differs from what its composite words' denotations would suggest; i.e. the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words (although some idioms do retain their literal meanings – see the example "kick the bucket" below).