Ayshela Posted October 2, 2003 Report Posted October 2, 2003 With the tools of our craft being words, much of what we convey to our readers depends upon definitions. Some words are easy, some may require a quick glance in the dictionary. Yet even at that, many words have personal meanings to some which overlay or even defy the dictionary definition, making communication even less precise than usual. It occurred to me, since those who've been doing the "writing exercises" have been dragged away kicking and screaming, of late, that it might be fun to explore some of the more ambiguous words and see how definitions coincide - and differ. How you choose to define the word is entirely up to you: standard definition style, a poem or story scene showing what the word means to you, what comes to mind when you hear or read the word, whatever works. If there's interest in continuing this, i'll try to update once a week. The word for the week - a nice multiple meaning word - Safe i'm looking forward to your responses, and will post mine after you've had a bit of time to think on this. Ayshela, trying hard to fill Salinye and Alaeha's shoes and wondering how the heck they walked in THESE...
Appy Posted October 2, 2003 Report Posted October 2, 2003 (edited) neat idea Safe: *(first definition)Dictionary: 1 : free from harm or risk : UNHURT 2 a : secure from threat of danger, harm, or loss b : successful at getting to a base in baseball without being put out 3 : affording safety or security from danger, risk, or difficulty 4 obsolete, of mental or moral faculties : HEALTHY, SOUND 5 a : not threatening danger : HARMLESS b : unlikely to produce controversy or contradiction 6 a : not likely to take risks : CAUTIOUS b : TRUSTWORTHY, RELIABLE *(bigger then I thought!)Reliable would be my choice of definition, to put it into context with my own definition, I assosiate Safe with people. *(second definition)My own: Having not to fear whom to trust in or whom to depend on Not having to worry about the world around you Feeling comfortable no matter how you act and why you act Not to be questioned about actions from the past Not feeling the need to wonder about what others think *By my own definition, I've never felt completely safe, but it is accurate and what I search for. Again, neat idea, looking forward to other definitions Edited October 2, 2003 by Appy
Alaeha Posted October 2, 2003 Report Posted October 2, 2003 Safe: An adjective. Generally used to describe an activity, situation, or person which holds or poses no threat or danger to the one for whom it is "safe". Also a statement that something is likely to turn out as expected. Example: Jaywalking in the middle of the night in an empty street is safe, whereas jaywalking in at four PM in downtown Seattle is most emphatically not. Likewise, a piece of paper which has just been run through the insinkerater is probably "safe" from prying eyes. Heh... I should see about spending a couple weeks in here, one of these days when I have time... and bump my old poetry lessons back up. Or something along those lines. You're walking in those things just fine... it's just a matter of putting one foot in front of the other.
Ayshela Posted October 2, 2003 Author Report Posted October 2, 2003 *giggles* one of these days i suppose i'll have to write out the **other** half of the joke of "trying to walk in these things" huh?
Gwaihir Posted October 2, 2003 Report Posted October 2, 2003 Safe is a place where you can say whatever you need to and no one will attack it or you.
Degenero Angelus Posted October 2, 2003 Report Posted October 2, 2003 Safe is warmth and love. Safe iis not needing someone, but wanting them anyways. Safe is never letting anyone hurt you, no matter how hard they try.
The Portrait of Zool Posted October 2, 2003 Report Posted October 2, 2003 'Safe' is what falls on you as you walk carefree along the sidewalk.
Savannah Posted October 2, 2003 Report Posted October 2, 2003 'Safe' is what falls on you as you walk carefree along the sidewalk. I thought that was a piano
The Portrait of Zool Posted October 2, 2003 Report Posted October 2, 2003 Naw, that's only of you're feeling musical. If you're feeling safe... *Zool is pelted with rotten fruit, then pulled offstage with a large hook*
Ayshela Posted October 3, 2003 Author Report Posted October 3, 2003 *giggles* i was wondering who would be the first to come up with that one... **grabs a GIANT hook and draaaagggsss the thread back on topic**
Ayshela Posted October 3, 2003 Author Report Posted October 3, 2003 *mock glares at Zool* indeed? and by what definition??
The Portrait of Zool Posted October 3, 2003 Report Posted October 3, 2003 "By WHAT definition, you ask!?" Suddenly a little yellow rubber head, festooned with a little rubber beak, tiny black dot eyes, and a floppy Cock's comb, poked out of Zool's jacket. "Puk-ack!" Zool hurriedly poked the rubber chicken's head back down into his jacket. "I can handle this, thank you verra much!" "M'Lady." he continued, after the chicken situation was under control, "I quite understand your confusion, as it is perfectly understandable. You see, there is a common misconception that 'Safe' is a state of freedom from danger, injury, evil, or threat. If you take but a moment to think about it, I'm sure you will readily see and agree with what I am saying, that it really is not at all - that in fact were you to follow the implied wisdom of seeking 'safety' for it's own sake, how this will instantly and profoundly imperil you beyond measure!" Zool sat down on an imaginary chair and struck what he hoped was his most Socratic pose. "Now, first of all, let us agree on some base assumptions. Pumpkins abhor spiders. B-flat is the missing note. Hot dogs and relish do not mix. Good? Okay." Ayshela opened her mouth to speak, but Zool quickly ground forward. "So, OBVIOUSLY It's better we find safety by guarding against safety, then be set upon our noggin by a safe - unsafe at any speed, I might add - falling at us from careless gods who leave their portraits open. Did add. Err, you know what I mean... I hope..." Zool stole a nervous glance at the ceilling before returning his gaze to Ayshela. "Puk-ack!" "Err, what was the question?"
Lelu_Asana Posted October 4, 2003 Report Posted October 4, 2003 *shakes head at Zool.* I understood some of that, but I think you lost me back at the part about the rubber chicken in the jacket. Safe or "safety" is more of a feeling that an actual thing. You can feel safe and believe that you are safe, but there is nothing in this world that actually keeps you "safe". At least, that's my theory. It's kinda like love.
Ayshela Posted October 4, 2003 Author Report Posted October 4, 2003 Fen walked cautiously through the room, admiring the elegant surroundings while instinctively scanning for danger. She’d been running scared for so long that knowing the location of everyone and everything around her was as ingrained as the instant identification of new sounds. This – this could be bad. He was supposed to already be here. Where was he? At least the room was empty, dealing with anyone else right now was beyond her. Where… where… where could he be? And if he didn’t show, where could she go? The door behind her clicked softly. She whirled around, braced to run, and nearly fainted with relief when Shon walked in. “I’m sorry, I was almost to the door when the phone rang and I thought it might have been you –“ He broke off mid-sentence to catch her as she hurled herself across the room. Fen clung to him for long moments as the shuddering terror began to slowly recede. Here, finally, she could believe it would be okay. Held safe by the one who had always protected her, relief was overwhelming. “I’m glad you’re back. Are you okay?” he asked, frowning worriedly. Looking up at him, she said “Out there, alone? No. Here, now, with my best friend by my side? Yes.” Hugging her tightly, he said “You’re always safe with me.” Her face was buried in his shoulder so that he could barely hear her whispered “I know.”
Nyyark Posted October 4, 2003 Report Posted October 4, 2003 Wow, good example. I like it so much I'm tempted to change my definintion. I always related safe with words like stagnant and dead. Its one of those things that a healthy concept has in percentage. Safe to me is lack of negitive possibilities. Unfortunately existing brings about negitive possibilities, and this is compounded by acting. Without the involvement of something of a spiritual nature, believing one is safe is about as good as believing in a lie. Therefore I find percent saftey something to help judge between decisions, but it really unimportant. So much could happen, anywhere, anytime.
Peredhil Posted October 4, 2003 Report Posted October 4, 2003 Hmmm. Safe. My first thought was a lockable box in which people keep money, but Zoolio (and The Rubber Chicken (remember when Zool and tRC were so common in posts that tRC was understood to mean the Rubber Chicken even when Zool wasn't mentioned? (Oh! And when tRC played the dragon in Gyrfalcon: The Movie (which has been archived in our Library here,))) already covered that. Safe... safe... for me, it is the absolute knowledge of where I'm going live or die, my hope, that gives me the feeling of safety to endure the pains, misunderstandings, and abuses of life. So I guess safe is a mindset which offsets fear, allowing action and thought free from fear, for me.
Regel Posted October 5, 2003 Report Posted October 5, 2003 Safe: The feeling of security that occurs when all dangers both seen and unseen are forgotten. Alternative meaning: What an empire screams after a headlong dive beats the ball to the bag.
Justin Silverblade Posted October 5, 2003 Report Posted October 5, 2003 Hmmm.... Many thoughts come to mind with this one. Perhaps most apparent to me: Feeling 'Safe': A temporary reprieve from the illusion that Life's out to get you.
Gwaihir Posted October 5, 2003 Report Posted October 5, 2003 Safe is when you don't need to remember dangers seen and unseen
Parmenion Posted October 5, 2003 Report Posted October 5, 2003 Safe: When you forget to think about all the dangers seen and unseen. When one's awareness of reality fails them. When one does not care whether or not they will live or die. When one does not live in an environment which is threatening to one's survival on a daily basis one can feel safe. (Living in the First World). Example when teaching rebels: "When we slaughter their women and children today we will feel safer tomorrow knowing because our enemies of today will eventually die and their spawn will not be around to take their place." Said the teacher. "But will we be safe by doing this teacher?" asked the student. "There is no such thing as being completely safe or secure. We can only make ourselves as safe as we can from this new empire. To be safe we must minimise our exposure to danger in all its forms, present or future" explained the teacher. "But is there not a chance that the enemy will realise their way of life actually threatens our very existence and the traditions of our people? Must we actually kill them to stop their terrible crimes? Will they not listen to reason?" asked the pupil "My child, they cannot see that they are breaching the very basic rules of our Holiest of Books simply by living in the lifestyle they do. If they continue living in this lifestyle their culture will eventually breed ours out. Our people will forget their past and their traditions and the Holy Book. By their lifestyle and destruction of the minds of our people they have declared a war whether or not they are aware of it. For our lifestyle to be safe we have no option but to destroy the lives of their people the way the destroy the lives of ours." explained the teacher. "I see" agreed the student "the safety of our very way of life is at stake. We must do everything we can to prevent this new type of hostile warfare."
Sorciere Posted October 6, 2003 Report Posted October 6, 2003 Safe - baseball term defining the moment the guy in the team you don't support, just got one up on the team you do support.
The Big Pointy One Posted October 6, 2003 Report Posted October 6, 2003 I'm sorry, these are all good definitions, but alas incorrect. The actual meaning of safe is this: Safe: A spell from Final Fantasy Six costing 12 MP. It targets singular characters only. In effect, it raises the physical defense of the target. It can be absorbed by the Runic ability, and bounced by the Reflect status. It's learned at the following rates: Unicorn x 1 Carbunkl x 2 Golem x 5 Alexandr x 10 Celes at level 22
Ayshela Posted October 6, 2003 Author Report Posted October 6, 2003 and can't you see how horribly confused conversations would get with *that* kind of misunderstanding of definitions? *g*
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