Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
#207454 10/01/12 04:16 AM
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2
M
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
M
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2
Hi there. Im looking for the word that means "unconditional/unquestioning loyalty/favoritism".

I'v heard this word before.... but i cant remember what it is!... and i cant seem to find it anywhere.

Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,706
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,706
Hi marek.... my suggestion is, SYCOPHANT but some of the others could have a better idea.

Candy #207463 10/01/12 02:29 PM
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,916
Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,916
Likes: 2
welcome Marek


----please, draw me a sheep----
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075
welcome marek:
Perhaps you are looking for "claquer" - literally someone who is hired to applaud a performance, however bad or good it is. The meaning can easily be widened to include a group of sycophants, toadies, flatterers, etc.


I'm immortal until proven otherwise
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
I just happen to have this file..

minions..

toady
toadeater
tufthunter (Brit.)
snurge (Brit.)
lickspittle
minion
lackey
limberham (fig.)
backslapper
clawback (obs.)
apple-polisher
yes-man
stooge
myrmidon
follower
pushover
bootlicker
brownnoser
groveler
flatterer
kowtower
fawner
flatterer
flunky
groupie(s)
*sycophant
truckler
ass-kisser
arse-licker (Brit.)
suck-up
doormat
doter
fawner
henchman
hanger-on
trencherman
edit:
gnatho
shammes

(groups)
mob
posse
entourage
retainers
retinue
*claque

(adjs)
gnathonic
obsequious (and synonyms)
unctuous
ingratiating

Last edited by tsuwm; 10/01/12 04:51 PM.
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,706
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,706
What a list...most are unflattering terms, I guess its not a good place to be. (unless, as Rhuby word...one got paid for the position).

tsuwm #207477 10/02/12 03:35 AM
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
J
veteran
Offline
veteran
J
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
Y'all keep knocking.

I wish to create (or find) a word that delimits the vile collaboration of professional social in-groups to the abject detriment of the rest of us.
You know, vile people like vile lawyers, vile doctors, and vile Indian chiefs.
Those vile folk have Unions without Unions.

Hmm... maybe some variant of sycophant or claque or mutual masturbation will suffice.


Last edited by jenny jenny; 10/02/12 04:09 AM.
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
All the answers seem to have been treating this as a bad thing. This when loyalty is seen as a good thing. Anybody got any positive words for this?

Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
but isn't the proffered definition itself shaded a bit negatively - "unconditional/unquestioning loyalty/favoritism" - unless you're a Pollyanna? loyalty may be seen as a good thing, but unconditional or unquestioning, not so much.

even boosters and fans have gotten bad reps!

Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Not if you have faith in the object of your unquestioning loyalty.

Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
ah.. blind faith, cf. fideist.

Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Not necessarily blind faith. It could be based on a good knowledge of the reliability of the object of the faith.

Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 724
Avy Offline
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 724
Can I sneak in another "what's the word" question? I read a single word that means "people's hatred", which I have now forgotten. The context was "Politicians have to be able to have a high degree of acceptance of *people's hatred*."

Avy #207490 10/03/12 02:13 PM
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
J
veteran
Offline
veteran
J
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
Hurry Avy! Remember that word. Obama and Romney debate tonight.
We can Twitter your forgotten word. It will go Internet viral. smile

Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2
M
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
M
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2
Im not looking for the name of a PERSON who shows "unquestioning/unconditional loyalty/favoritism". Im looking for the word that DESCRIBES "unquestioning/unconditional loyalty/favoritism" itself. And its a NEGATIVE connotation.

Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
J
veteran
Offline
veteran
J
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
Well 0086, do you remember the context of your forgotten word's usage?
Me? I like "claque". As a condition that would be "claqueness".
smile

Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
from previous list:

(adjs)
gnathonic
obsequious (and synonyms)
unctuous
ingratiating

so, from thesaurus.com
obsequious
Definition: groveling, submissive
Synonyms: abject, beggarly, brownnosing, complacent, compliable, compliant, cringing, crouching, deferential, enslaved, fawning, flattering, ingratiating, kowtowing, menial, obeisant, oily, parasitic, parasitical, prostrate, respectful, servile, slavish, sneaking, sniveling, spineless, stipendiary, subject, submissive, subordinate, subservient, toadying, unctuous

(also, from fawning)
adulatory, bootlicking, bowing, cowering, crawling, humble, mealy-mouthed, scraping

and, from me:
meeching
oleaginous
smarmy [crossthreading!]
sequacious
sycophantic, sycophantical, sycophantish

FYI
meeching
Now regional (chiefly New England)
skulking, furtive; mean, cheap, contemptible; poor, obsequious

Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
The Uriah Heep kind of obsequiousness? Yes, the idea of a context might help.

tsuwm #207548 10/07/12 03:56 AM
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 724
Avy Offline
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 724
How 'bout another one: "just not worth the effort?"
... I mean when the stomach has sucessfully made the trip to iceland who in their right minds will compete with such perfection?
PS: Am I on the wrong thread? I think I'm on the wrong board! This isn't weight watchers anonymous? Shudda taken the left toin for that one! Sorry!

Last edited by Avy; 10/07/12 05:12 AM.
Avy #207590 10/10/12 04:53 PM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
"Politicians have to be able to have a high degree of acceptance of"...... ehmm......bribes?

Last edited by BranShea; 10/10/12 05:07 PM.
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,706
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,706
Originally Posted By: marek0086
Im looking for the word that DESCRIBES "unquestioning/unconditional loyalty/favoritism" itself. And its a NEGATIVE connotation.


Not one word but... 'Extreme Patriotism' has this negative behaviour!

Candy #207616 10/11/12 06:46 PM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075
Following that line, "Jingoism" is a word used in the UK to express that.


I'm immortal until proven otherwise
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,706
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,706
'Jingoism' a wonderful word. I just LIU

A very British word. Of course I had heard the oath 'by jingo' but had not connected it. And its link to the French word 'Chauvinism'
.... that of malice to a particular group.

Avy #208090 11/23/12 05:08 PM
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 724
Avy Offline
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 724
Originally Posted By: Avy
Can I sneak in another "what's the word" question? I read a single word that means "people's hatred", which I have now forgotten. The context was "Politicians have to be able to have a high degree of acceptance of *people's hatred*."


I had posted this a while ago. Well I found the word I was looking for. I thought I would share it. The quote is "To be able to endure odium is the first art to be learned by those who aspire to power. Seneca"

Avy #208092 11/24/12 12:24 AM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Good of you to come back with this word. Odium. I think I will make it a loan word, unless the owners of English will only lend it against a high interest rate. smile (such are the days) frown

Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
J
veteran
Offline
veteran
J
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
How about an even trade, Lowlander? smile You take our word "odium" and we take your word "hatelijk"?
We English will readily admit that your word has more bite. shocked

Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
A fair and generous exchange.

Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Adoration; adulation; Charles's friend (see other thread).

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 442 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5