# Words that you sort of know the meaning of, but not really **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 7, 2008, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172 "2008-12-07T22:12:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![rucciface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ba9def/32.png) [@rucciface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rucciface)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/21 "2008-12-09T19:01:28Z")
I realized the other day that I don’t know what the word **extortion** means, and this thread reminded me to look it up, so thanks. I always thought it is a synonym for **blackmail** but it’s not, quite. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/22 "2008-12-09T19:09:10Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > Many times I’ve tried to figure out the difference between “sympathy” and “empathy”. I’ve been to all the online dictionary sites, but just can’t get it. > > PLEASE EXPLAIN IT TO ME NOW! Correct me if I’m wrong on this: Being that I’m a man, I can sympathize with a woman going into labor, but I can’t empathize with her. ---
**Author:** ![Finally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/67e7ee/32.png) [@Finally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finally)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/23 "2008-12-09T19:15:02Z")
Thanks for all of your responses. Sorry to say I’m more confused than I was to begin with.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/24 "2008-12-09T19:22:33Z")
I have trouble figuring out the differences between Marxism, communism, socialism…etc. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/25 "2008-12-09T19:30:28Z")
The word _empathy_ gives me the linguistic cue that I need to keep them straight: the _em-_ prefix is, in English, usually a variation of the _en-_ prefix, which is itself a varation of the _in-_ prefix, which usually means “inside.”\* This suggests to me that a state of _empathy_ is a state of being truly _inside_ that person’s feelings. Not just recognizing them and validating them and stroking them and whatever goes along with _sympathizing_, but actually _experiencing_ them. - I’m not arguing an actual etymology here: like I said, this is how I keep it straight through association. I haven’t bothered to see if I’m etymologically correct. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/26 "2008-12-09T19:38:16Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Yes, but “spendthrift” _should_ mean that they’re _thrifty_ in their _spending_ and nothing anyone can say will convince me otherwise. If a lickspittle is someone who licks spittle, and a ne’er-do-well is someone who never does well, then a spendthrift is someone who spends their thrift, i.e. their savings. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/27 "2008-12-09T21:38:40Z")
Esoteric (usually used a criticism by intellectuals). I finally looked it up, because I just couldn’t figure out what the hell they were talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/28 "2008-12-09T21:41:20Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Esoteric (usually used a criticism by intellectuals). I finally looked it up, because I just couldn’t figure out what the hell they were talking about. [Family guy]“Fellas, fellas! Esoteric means delicious”[/FG] I’ve had the word nebbish stuck in my head all afternoon, I’m now going to look up what it actually means. ---
**Author:** ![Mikemike2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikemike2/32/305_2.png) [@Mikemike2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikemike2)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/29 "2008-12-09T21:53:11Z")
My take on sympathy vs. empathy: **Empathy** - I am aware of how you are feeling on an emotional level. **Sympathy** - I am aware of how you are feeling on an emotional level and care. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/30 "2008-12-09T22:57:12Z")
> [@Illuminatiprimus](#): > > I’ve had the word nebbish stuck in my head all afternoon, I’m now going to look up what it actually means. I always think “mensch” is something bad, or annoying, but not so. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/31 "2008-12-09T23:16:08Z")
**Sympathy** = I have a good idea of what you’re probably feeling right now. I read about it, and can imagine it. **Empathy** = I know exactly what you’re feeling right now, because I’ve been there myself. ---
**Author:** ![De\_La\_Rue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@De\_La\_Rue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/De_La_Rue)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/32 "2008-12-10T03:27:29Z")
Mine is haha, although I eventually looked it up to get the actual definition. I thought but wasn’t certain that it was a ground level path through a raised garden, but it’s actually a ditch with a fence on one side. Pretty close. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/33 "2008-12-10T03:53:59Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Yes, but “spendthrift” _should_ mean that they’re _thrifty_ in their _spending_ and nothing anyone can say will convince me otherwise. English has quite a number of words that describe a person who doesn’t spend much money, ranging from positive to neutral to negative. Off hand, I can’t think of them all, but here are some: thrifty economical sparing frugal un-wasteful cost-conscious spendthrift penny-pinching scrimping mean close-fisted penurious niggardly meager petty costive cheap tight-fisted miserly parsimonious stingy etc… The question is which word to chose. Linguists believe you have to read or hear the word in a context that is meaning to you about seven to eight times before you can apply it productively with the correct connotation yourself. Of course, some of them are pretty much equivalent, but you have to wonder why we need so many of them. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/34 "2008-12-10T17:18:44Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > \ you have to wonder why we need so many of them. To add depth, richness, precision and nuance to language. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/35 "2008-12-10T17:22:01Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > To add depth, richness, precision and nuance to language. That’s the effect. The cause is that, linguistically, English is a kleptomaniac. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/36 "2008-12-11T03:46:27Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > To add depth, richness, precision and nuance to language. I agree. It was a rhetorical question–it’s to add depth, richness, precision and nuance to language–_about money_. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/37 "2008-12-11T05:13:46Z")
Stochastic. Learned it a bunch of times, hardly ever see it, but soon as I do, I realize I’ve forgotten it. Which annoys the shit out of me, so this time I \*really \*nail it down, even though I \*never \*have occasion to use it and almost never see it, and then I don’t, until I do, and I’ve forgotten it. It has to do with statistics, which means its almost as interesting as dental floss. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/38 "2008-12-11T05:27:43Z")
Bill Engvall mentioned his wife using the word “[Crepuscular](http://www.atoptics.co.uk/atoptics/ray1.htm)” ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/39 "2008-12-11T05:46:04Z")
Hey I use crepuscular all the time. Rabbits are the denizens of twilight and dawn only now I’m not so sure about denizen ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172/40 "2008-12-11T10:01:54Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Stochastic. Learned it a bunch of times, hardly ever see it, but soon as I do, I realize I’ve forgotten it. Which annoys the shit out of me, so this time I \*really \*nail it down, even though I \*never \*have occasion to use it and almost never see it, and then I don’t, until I do, and I’ve forgotten it. It has to do with statistics, which means its almost as interesting as dental floss. This is one of those words that I’m quite proud to know but sad to say will probably never ever use in my lifetime. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-you-sort-of-know-the-meaning-of-but-not-really/476172.md?page=1)