Looking for a word that means impressed but with negative connotations
DevM
tattooed to her left arm and wound its way up and around her neck to
appear on right temple.
Impressed seems out of context here. What do you think?
tony cooper
wrote:
"Impressed" connotes a favorable view. If you admire tattooes, then
you could be impressed. If so, you would not think that the tattoo is
vulgar. So there's a contradiction in the statement.
If you were not favorably impressed, you might have been appalled,
shocked, dismayed, revolted, offended, disgusted, or sickened. Or
even, somewhat bothered.
In either case, the snake was tattooed "on", and not "to", her arm. I
would also strike "appear on" and make it "wound its way up and
around her neck to her right temple".
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
Peter Duncanson (BrE)
<tony_co...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>On Mon, 25 May 2009 16:49:12 -0700 (PDT), DevM <dev...@gmail.com>
>wrote:
>
>>So... I was impressed with the vulgar blue and purple snake that was
>>tattooed to her left arm and wound its way up and around her neck to
>>appear on right temple.
>>
>>Impressed seems out of context here. What do you think?
>
>"Impressed" connotes a favorable view. If you admire tattooes, then
>you could be impressed. If so, you would not think that the tattoo is
>vulgar. So there's a contradiction in the statement.
>
>If you were not favorably impressed, you might have been appalled,
>shocked, dismayed, revolted, offended, disgusted, or sickened. Or
>even, somewhat bothered.
>
Or repelled or repulsed.
>In either case, the snake was tattooed "on", and not "to", her arm. I
>would also strike "appear on" and make it "wound its way up and
>around her neck to her right temple".
--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.english.usage)
mm
<ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:
>On Mon, 25 May 2009 21:19:53 -0400, tony cooper
><tony_co...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>>On Mon, 25 May 2009 16:49:12 -0700 (PDT), DevM <dev...@gmail.com>
>>wrote:
>>
>>>So... I was impressed with the vulgar blue and purple snake that was
>>>tattooed to her left arm and wound its way up and around her neck to
>>>appear on right temple.
>>>
>>>Impressed seems out of context here. What do you think?
>>
>>"Impressed" connotes a favorable view. If you admire tattooes, then
>>you could be impressed. If so, you would not think that the tattoo is
>>vulgar. So there's a contradiction in the statement.
>>
>>If you were not favorably impressed, you might have been appalled,
>>shocked, dismayed, revolted, offended, disgusted, or sickened. Or
>>even, somewhat bothered.
>>
>Or repelled or repulsed.
But what if it's not just bad but impressive in its badness? Like an
extensive, computerized (when that was new) network of DVD or liquor
smuggling, complete with official-looking customs forms and rubber
stamps and tax stamps etc.
>
--
Posters should say where they live, and for which
area they are asking questions. I have lived in
Western Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis 10 years
Chicago 6 years
Brooklyn, NY 12 years
Baltimore 26 years
bonit...@yahoo.com
maybe "struck by."
Actually, I like "appalled," as Tony Cooper suggested.
Chris R
bonit...@yahoo.com opined:
"Underwhelmed" has become popular.
Chris R
Odysseus
"Chris R" <inv...@invalid.munge.co.uk> wrote:
> > Negatively impressed. Or, it produced a strong negative impression. Or
> > maybe "struck by."
> >
> > Actually, I like "appalled," as Tony Cooper suggested.
<snip>
> "Underwhelmed" has become popular.
I generally take that to mean quite the opposite, i.e. unimpressed.
--
Odysseus
DevM
Thanks for all the responses... I think MM hit on what I was trying to
get across - "impressive in its badness". In this context,
underwhelmed doesn't fit... because the snake caught my eye;
unimpressed doesn't fit, because I was taken aback; appalled could
describe part of the feeling, but there was a fascination... not
revulsion... here. Any other thoughts?
Pat Durkin
"DevM" <dev...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:897189c3-1ae6-43d3...@o21g2000prn.googlegroups.com...
DevM:
Thanks for all the responses... I think MM hit on what I was trying to
get across - "impressive in its badness". In this context,
underwhelmed doesn't fit... because the snake caught my eye;
unimpressed doesn't fit, because I was taken aback; appalled could
describe part of the feeling, but there was a fascination... not
revulsion... here. Any other thoughts?
Pat:
Horrifying?
Struck dumb?
I can't think of any particular gaze that you want. Enchanted,
spellbound, paralyzed. A hypnotic gaze. Repelled (hypnotically
repellent) brought me to the effects wrought by the basilisk (or
medusa), whose horrific gaze seemed to freeze the victim.
From Merriam Webster Online:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/mwwodarch.pl?Feb.26.2009
"The use of "basilisk" as an adjective occurs most frequently in phrases
such as "basilisk stare"; recalling the notorious gaze of the legendary
basilisk, it describes the deep and piercing look of someone who is
frightening or seductive. "
I suppose you might try inventing a word, but most often, for purposes
of communication, one tries to find a metaphor that would be understood
by the hearer.
Pat
Andrew B.
> On May 26, 10:36 am, mm <NOPSAMmm2...@bigfoot.com> wrote:
>
>
> > But what if it's not just bad but impressive in its badness? Like an
> > extensive, computerized (when that was new) network of DVD or liquor
> > smuggling, complete with official-looking customs forms and rubber
> > stamps and tax stamps etc.
>
>
> get across - "impressive in its badness". In this context,
> underwhelmed doesn't fit... because the snake caught my eye;
> unimpressed doesn't fit, because I was taken aback; appalled could
> describe part of the feeling, but there was a fascination... not
> revulsion... here. Any other thoughts?
Gobsmacked?
Leslie Danks
> On 14 June, 16:37, DevM <dev...@gmail.com> wrote:
[...]
>> Thanks for all the responses... I think MM hit on what I was trying to
>> get across - "impressive in its badness". �In this context,
>> underwhelmed doesn't fit... because the snake caught my eye;
>> unimpressed doesn't fit, because I was taken aback; appalled could
>> describe part of the feeling, but there was a fascination... not
>> revulsion... here. �Any other thoughts?
>
> Gobsmacked?
Aghast?
Hypnotised?
--
Les (BrE)
Marshall Price
Richard R. Hershberger
Perhaps "struck by". This is pretty close to "impressed by" but more
neutral in connotation. This might require additional context to make
clear that the impression was negative, but the result can be nicely
understated.
Richard R. Hershberger