# freaky words **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 3, 2000, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaky-words/14369 "2000-03-03T00:53:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2000, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaky-words/14369/41 "2000-03-05T16:47:00Z")
The c word for me is ‘cancer’ creepy. ---
**Author:** ![brooklyn44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/51bf81/32.png) [@brooklyn44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brooklyn44)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2000, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaky-words/14369/42 "2000-03-05T17:19:00Z")
I hate “classy.” I cannot think of one instance when the word “classy” is apt; except in the humorous, “You’re one classy dame.” i can’t say I ever disliked a word because of its sound. I’m curious about the frequency of such words as “moist” and “panties.” They seem inoffensive to me. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2000, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaky-words/14369/43 "2000-03-05T19:00:00Z")
I think I had a word like that, that annoyed me once. I forget what, except… I used to dislike some of the “cuss-words” that seemed too low-class. Eventually, I accepted that some of them are solid English words. But finding “dirty” words offensive is normal enough, eh? “Pussy” referring to genitalia, or as an aspersion on someone’s character, sounds strange, offensive, or wrong to me. Partly 'cos “puss” used to be slang for “face,” I think. “Twat” seems completely normal, if vulgar. I never heard anyone use “cunt” in its literal meaning growing up (yeah, yeah, sheltered existence) so it doesn’t offend me at all. I learned that hard way that it’s a VERY DIRTY WORD–just sounds innocuous to me, though. But then, I’m a guy, and more sensitive to words like “prick” & “dick.” * * * I’m a member of the _Monarchist_ political party. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2000, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaky-words/14369/44 "2000-03-05T22:07:00Z")
“goober” – don’t know what it means, if anything, but it’s probably something the Texas Chainsaw Massacre guy is familiar with Also “matter”, as in “brain matter”, “eye matter”, etc. ---
**Author:** ![mega\_the\_roo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@mega\_the\_roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mega_the_roo)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2000, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaky-words/14369/45 "2000-03-05T23:11:00Z")
oh, ‘pop’ and ‘soda’ too. * * * “If anybody wants a sheep, that is proof that he exists.” ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2000, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaky-words/14369/46 "2000-03-05T23:25:00Z")
I was reading this and I was thinking about how crazy and ludicrous you all were sounding. Then I realized that I had one, and I felt bad for thinking mean thoughts. \ my word: \ Grunt. \ Growing up my mother would use this word to us kids in place of “do you have to go take a shit” it would be “do you have to grunt.” Oh my God, thanks for bringing back a long suppressed memory!!! ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Great\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Dave)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2000, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaky-words/14369/47 "2000-03-05T23:47:00Z")
I can’t think of any words that freak me out. So far, none on the list have. But here are some faves: Paprika. Paprika. So much fun to say. Ok, just one. I can’t think of the rest. * * * It’s not how you pick your nose, it’s where you put the boogers ---
**Author:** ![upstatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ce73a5/32.png) [@upstatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/upstatic)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2000, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaky-words/14369/48 "2000-03-06T00:19:00Z")
> [@](#): > > The word I absolutely refuse to use in conversation is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, since I’ve found out that according to the Oxford English Dictionary II it’s a factitious word made up by some cretin who wanted to pretend it was the longest word in the english language. ## 'Fraid it’s a real word. Ask Webster. R.J.D. ---
**Author:** ![sorrel554](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@sorrel554](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sorrel554)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2000, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaky-words/14369/49 "2000-03-06T00:25:00Z")
These words don’t freak me out, but I still dislike them: smooth (my least favorite ever. I don’t know why it bugs me) enthuse/enthused “service” as a verb When I was an undergraduate, one of my professors told my class that if any of us used “impact” as a verb in any of our papers or writings, that person would automatically fail the class. ---
**Author:** ![sorrel554](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@sorrel554](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sorrel554)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2000, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaky-words/14369/50 "2000-03-06T00:28:00Z")
Thought of another one. All this talk of “panties” reminded me that I hate the word “wad,” as in, “Don’t get your panties in a…” As for that particular undergarment, I usually say “drawers” or “underwear.” ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2000, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaky-words/14369/51 "2000-03-06T00:34:00Z")
Thought of another one – “smooch” – that’s a kiss you get from your dirty old uncle ---
**Author:** ![mega\_the\_roo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@mega\_the\_roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mega_the_roo)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2000, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaky-words/14369/52 "2000-03-06T01:25:00Z")
ooh, ooh, i’ve got another one. ‘sweets’ ---
**Author:** ![Anti\_Pro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Anti\_Pro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anti_Pro)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2000, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaky-words/14369/53 "2000-03-06T01:29:00Z")
I hate; squat, squeal, squash, fecal matter (yet, the word ‘feces’ doesn’t bother me). * * * “It’s hard to avoid reading because ever wheres we go, reading is there.” ---
**Author:** ![neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ab097/32.png) [@neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neuro-trash_grrrl)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2000, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaky-words/14369/54 "2000-03-06T01:30:00Z")
I just thought of a couple more, too. Mass. Also gas. I’m not sure what it is about these two words, but mass sounds like it should refer to a, well, mass of slime or something, and when physics tells us that all objects have mass, well, maybe that explains why I’m a math major. Gas just implies farts to me. The air is a gas, but I’d rather not think about it in those terms. As for c\*nt, I wasn’t even going to mention it because it isn’t freaky as in a “nails down a chalkboard” sense, but more as in a “what did you just call me?” sense. Anyone who refers to me by that word gets to sing soprano. (This applies to women too, although it usually takes a little more effort on my part…) * * * Heck is where you go when you don’t believe in Gosh. ---
**Author:** ![meara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@meara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meara)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2000, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaky-words/14369/55 "2000-03-06T01:31:00Z")
**redrum** I’m not generally frightened by horror movies, but for some reason I get nightmares whenever I hear that word! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaky-words/14369.md?page=2)