Definitions by Fearman
apostrophe catastrophe
The term apostrophe catastrophe denotes incorrect use or non-use of the apostrophe (') in a sentence.
Examples of apostrophe catastrophes:
We sell carrot's, parsnip's and potatoe's.
Its going to rain.
Johns coat and Marias bag were left on the train.
He grabbed the cat and started playing with it's tail.
We sell carrot's, parsnip's and potatoe's.
Its going to rain.
Johns coat and Marias bag were left on the train.
He grabbed the cat and started playing with it's tail.
apostrophe catastrophe by Fearman March 31, 2008
karmamechanic
Spiritual (or pseudospiritual?) guru who attends to the inexpressible needs of the multitude, in return for lots and lots of cash. A pun on "car mechanic", from an early Genesis song, "The Battle of Epping Forest", from the album Selling England by the Pound (1973). Think Rajneesh, Jim Jones, L. Ron Hubbard, or any of a host of others.
He employed me as a karmamechanic/ with overall charms/ his hands were then fit to receive/ recieve alms ...,
- Genesis, "The Battle of Epping Forest"
- Genesis, "The Battle of Epping Forest"
karmamechanic by Fearman March 31, 2008
open-minded
1. Ready to accept on firm evidence that one's most cherished beliefs may be hogwash, but bearing in mind that extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence.
2. Politically correct synonym for "gullible" used by New Age quacks who want to sell you a bill of goods.
2. Politically correct synonym for "gullible" used by New Age quacks who want to sell you a bill of goods.
I am open-minded about the existence of the Judeo-Christian God. If he appears in the immortal flesh in the heavens to me and a few billion other people and manifests his power openly in such a manner that it cannot possibly be a dream, illusion, hallucination or anything of the sort, I'll accept he is there. In the meantime, it is more befitting the heritage of the human intellect to ignore such figures as mythical.
Open-mindedness is a virtue, but when dealing with New Age salespeople it is important to remember that if you keep your mind too open, your brain may fall out.
Open-mindedness is a virtue, but when dealing with New Age salespeople it is important to remember that if you keep your mind too open, your brain may fall out.
open-minded by Fearman March 29, 2008
third arm
Somebody who considers themself so tied to someone else that they are only there to do the other's bidding. A slave. By analogy with an actual third arm, with which the owner of the arm could hope to do so much more, but which has no independent life of its own.
Mary is trying to treat Jimmy like her third arm again. She won't even let him go out for a night with the lads.
narcissism
1. Generally a deeply dysfunctional state of mind in which one is in love with oneself, often at a rather superficial level. From the Greek myth of Narcissus, who wasted away out of unrequited love for his own reflection in a pool.
2. More specifically described at its worst as Narcissistic Personality Disorder, or NPD. NPD is characterised by the following:
Refusal to admit that one is narcissistic. The horror author Stephen King once wrote that alcoholics build defence mechanisms like the Dutch build dykes. Narcissists are kind of the same, except that compared to your average narcissist, your average alcoholic is a rank amateur.
An exaggerated sense of self-importance, with the narcissist often talking about private, professional or other interpersonal relationships in which they are involved as though nobody else really existed.
A preoccupation with fantasies of pure or unlimited power, beauty, "authenticity", intelligence, love and so on. Has an urgent need for praise.
A tendency to read what people say out of context, or more likely without any context, and a disability to spot when they are being taken for a ride.
Belief on the narcissist's part that people vastly more gifted than they are (in whatever respect) are their natural equals, and a snobbish contempt for anything less.
A sense of entitlement; narcissists are typically manipulative, haughty, arrogant and generally destructive in their relationships with others.
A narcissist may appear overly anxious to show respect for the property and privacy of those they cannot profitably step on. Towards those under them in any social hierarchy (employees, offspring, subservient spouses, etc.,), they are shamelessly controlling, frequently treating such other peoples' property as their own to use or discard, on a more trivial level barging intrusively into their conversations, and so on. Narcissists treat those below them, or loyal to them, as extentions of their own egos.
Lack empathy and tends to treat other people like dirt, when they can get away with it.
Project a sense of immense effort, as though eternally hoping that some teacher will award them an A for it; at the same time their work is frequently slipshod and they secretly delegate to social subordinates.
Narcissists show no need to take any responsibility for the untoward results of their own actions, frequently going to ingenious extremes to weasel their way out of anything of the sort. After all, anything else would first require them to admit, as more than some petty platitude, that they aren't perfect.
Frequently project their own shortcomings onto others, especially whose whom they can control or of whom they are envious.
2. More specifically described at its worst as Narcissistic Personality Disorder, or NPD. NPD is characterised by the following:
Refusal to admit that one is narcissistic. The horror author Stephen King once wrote that alcoholics build defence mechanisms like the Dutch build dykes. Narcissists are kind of the same, except that compared to your average narcissist, your average alcoholic is a rank amateur.
An exaggerated sense of self-importance, with the narcissist often talking about private, professional or other interpersonal relationships in which they are involved as though nobody else really existed.
A preoccupation with fantasies of pure or unlimited power, beauty, "authenticity", intelligence, love and so on. Has an urgent need for praise.
A tendency to read what people say out of context, or more likely without any context, and a disability to spot when they are being taken for a ride.
Belief on the narcissist's part that people vastly more gifted than they are (in whatever respect) are their natural equals, and a snobbish contempt for anything less.
A sense of entitlement; narcissists are typically manipulative, haughty, arrogant and generally destructive in their relationships with others.
A narcissist may appear overly anxious to show respect for the property and privacy of those they cannot profitably step on. Towards those under them in any social hierarchy (employees, offspring, subservient spouses, etc.,), they are shamelessly controlling, frequently treating such other peoples' property as their own to use or discard, on a more trivial level barging intrusively into their conversations, and so on. Narcissists treat those below them, or loyal to them, as extentions of their own egos.
Lack empathy and tends to treat other people like dirt, when they can get away with it.
Project a sense of immense effort, as though eternally hoping that some teacher will award them an A for it; at the same time their work is frequently slipshod and they secretly delegate to social subordinates.
Narcissists show no need to take any responsibility for the untoward results of their own actions, frequently going to ingenious extremes to weasel their way out of anything of the sort. After all, anything else would first require them to admit, as more than some petty platitude, that they aren't perfect.
Frequently project their own shortcomings onto others, especially whose whom they can control or of whom they are envious.
Carol's narcissism inspired her first husband to leave everything to her in his will. Some say she drove him into an early grave. She enjoys the money, but now nobody with a brain cell will touch her and her kids don't want to know her.
narcissism by Fearman March 28, 2008
incest
dobby
Verb: to interfere with other peoples' property or plans without their knowledge or consent, then pretend that one is not responsible for the same, leaving them with no apparent alternative but to ascribe the latest turn of events to persons or forces unknown. From the name of the house elf first appearing in the second Harry Potter novel.
Jim's mother-in-law has dobbied his drinking glasses again.
I think Mary decided to dobby Neil's car keys.
Ben has dobbied the vases again. They'll probably turn up in the rubbish compactor.
I think Mary decided to dobby Neil's car keys.
Ben has dobbied the vases again. They'll probably turn up in the rubbish compactor.