Most of us have heard the phrase “trials and tribulations.” But have you ever looked up the meaning of tribulation? I think it’s one of those words we all know, and basically know the meaning of, but have never bothered to confirm. It is more than heartache; it’s…
Tag: writing prompts
Otherworldly Words: Trepidation
If you enter a situation with trepidation, you’re probably pretty scared. “The constant, unidentifiable screech coming from the room as well as the utter darkness within compounded her trepidation.” Trepidatious and trepidatiously are the adjective and adverb form, respectively. Personally I love words like trepidation because they can accomplish in one word what otherwise…
Otherworldly Words: Shade
Why would the word shade be used to mean ghost? The idea that what’s left behind after one passes is less than a reflection is a powerful one. The ghost is no more than a shadow, what’s left after the light of life is gone. I also think that the word shade as ghost is…
Otherworldly Words: Sanguine
Sanguine is one of those Latin root words that borrows from our old beliefs to create new meaning. The most common meanings these days are to do with having a red complexion, like flushed cheeks or with a “sunny” disposition. The root, of course, comes from blood. Blood was associated with red complexions and a cheerful…
Thursday Writing Prompt: Dialogue Rewrite
Take a piece of dialogue that you’ve written. Rewrite it with one of the characters being from the deep south (US) and the other from Minnesota. What if one character is not a native English speaker? Besides punctuation, what word choices would you change? If you enjoyed this post, look around, or sign up below…
Otherworldly Words: Phantasmagoria
A phantasmagoria is, in many ways, most people’s nightmare and a surrealist’s dream. Just think about the surrealist, eye-ball slicing film Un Chien Andalou. Personally, I think anything horrific or unbelievable is a phantasmagoria. Haunted houses attempt this effect commonplace during the Victorian era with the assistance of magic lanterns. If you find magic lanterns…
Otherworldly Words: Odious
If you find someone odious, he or she might just be from a different political party than you. All kidding aside, odious is about as scornful as it gets. I can just picture someone snarling his or her lip and saying, “You are so odious.” Maybe I can picture…
Otherworldly Words: Noisome
Unlike yesterday’s word, nefarious, noisome, to my ear doesn’t sound anything like its meaning. Despite looking like “noise,” noisome actually derives from the same root as annoy. A skunk uses a noisome odor as its defense mechanism. Many chemicals have a noisome odor. Such odors, or at least our perception of them, are our own…
Otherworldly Words: Nefarious
To my ear, nefarious is one of those words that sounds like what it means. Just saying, “nefarious plans” sounds pretty evil. The sound of the word isn’t the only reason I’m including it, however. The second part of the meaning, iniquitous, says so much about the crux of being “wicked” or “villainous.” The deeper…
Otherworldly Words: Necropolis
A necropolis is a final resting place for the bodies of those who have passed. As I discussed in mausoleum and charnel house, where to place the dead changes across time and culture. Such places hold deep meaning, and some become a pilgrimage. Droves of fans visit the graves of James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, and other icons. The…
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