Somebody give me a good word that means... (writerly, writeriffic, whatever)

[Saucy_Sage]

So you're in the supermarket and someone runs up, grabs you by the hand, and says "Susan! [let's say your name is Susan] Come look at this!" That woman is Susan's _______ . Charles Nelson Reilly, you go first.

I'm imagine that "accoster" is a word, but I don't like it. "Assailant" seems too violent. "Nuisance" is correct, but not really helpful. Suggestions?

 

[Safe_Bet]

So you're in the supermarket and someone runs up, grabs you by the hand, and says "Susan! [let's say your name is Susan] Come look at this!" That woman is Susan's _______ . Charles Nelson Reilly, you go first.

I'm imagine that "accoster" is a word, but I don't like it. "Assailant" seems too violent. "Nuisance" is correct, but not really helpful. Suggestions?

Busybody?

 

[Saucy_Sage]

Busybody?

Well, she may be a busybody, but I can't really say she's Susan's busybody.

 

[Safe_Bet]

Well, she may be a busybody, but I can't really say she's Susan's busybody.

Oh, I thought you were talking about the person who grabbed your hand.

Then lets try molester, stalker or harrasser.

 

[Saucy_Sage]

Oh, I thought you were talking about the person who grabbed your hand.

Then lets try molester, stalker or harrasser.

But all she's done is accost. She hasn't molested stalked or harassed. Even if she has harassed, harasser has all sorts of connotations that I'd like to avoid.

'preciate your help! Nice to have a thread where you can use all that liberal arts training, huh?

 

[Pure]

the woman has hailed, approached, or greeted susan, attempted to start a conversation, etc. good nouns seem hard to come by.

not sure who 'reilly' is, or his relevance.

 

[Saucy_Sage]

the woman has hailed or greeted susan, attempted to start a conversation, etc. good nouns seem hard to come by.

I'm not adverse to making one up, if the readers can understand it. At this point, they know what's going on and they know to whom I'm referring. Any neologisms?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

The word you want is TRESPASS. It covers these kinds of things...she's in your space, using your time, unwanted, inconvenient, unappreciated, unwelcome. TRESPASS is the word.

 

[Vermilion]

emphasise the grabbing and call her an assailant - why not?
If you do it with an exclamation mark then people will get that you're joking a little, using a bit of hyperbole...

x
V

 

[Saucy_Sage]

The word you want is TRESPASS. It covers these kinds of things...she's in your space, using your time, unwanted, inconvenient, unappreciated, unwelcome. TRESPASS is the word.

Because I'm actually looking for a word to describe a person, I assume the word would be trespasser and I'm not sure that "Susan's trespasser" is quite what I want. Trespasser usually refers to an intrusion on land, I think, or at least would do so in the minds of the readers with whom I'm trying to communicate. Also, it makes Susan sound a little overly reclusive, as if she believes nobody else should speak to her unless spoken to. Thanks, though.

 

[Vermilion]

Or just change the sentence structure and say "The woman who had accosted Susan..."

 

[Saucy_Sage]

Or just change the sentence structure and say "The woman who had accosted Susan..."

Change the sentence???

Actually, so far I'm leaning toward "assailant," like you suggested, although probably without the quotation marks. As in, Susan looked at her assailant and said ya-da, ya-da.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Change the sentence???

Actually, so far I'm leaning toward "assailant," like you suggested, although probably without the quotation marks. As in, Susan looked at her assailant and said ya-da, ya-da.

There's a bit of tongue in cheek about it that's nice.

I would go with accoster, myself; it's accurate and unremarkable and therefore won't get in the way of the narative.

 

[john-the-author]

You could describe her as "Porlockian."

 

[Saucy_Sage]

You could describe her as "Porlockian."

ooh, I love a well-read man. I also love Google. If you have one, you need the other.

 

[Pure]

how about 'susan's irritant was named nancy'

 

[Austin8]

instead of a noun what about a verb? or perhaps describe the action with some dialogue?

Curious to know what you come up with, post it and let us know....

I like Pures solution ...

 

[michchick98]

So you're in the supermarket and someone runs up, grabs you by the hand, and says "Susan! [let's say your name is Susan] Come look at this!" That woman is Susan's _______ . Charles Nelson Reilly, you go first.

I'm imagine that "accoster" is a word, but I don't like it. "Assailant" seems too violent. "Nuisance" is correct, but not really helpful. Suggestions?

Since you referred to the word nuisance, here's some alternatives:

annoyance
irritant
pest
aggravation

That's about all I can think of.

 

[sweetness6280]

So you're in the supermarket and someone runs up, grabs you by the hand, and says "Susan! [let's say your name is Susan] Come look at this!" That woman is Susan's _______ . Charles Nelson Reilly, you go first.

I'm imagine that "accoster" is a word, but I don't like it. "Assailant" seems too violent. "Nuisance" is correct, but not really helpful. Suggestions?

I'm not sure exactly what tone you want to invoke, but going off of accoster and nuisance there are several ways to go.

Agitator or provacateur would work, depending on just how much of a nuisance the woman is. Discommode/incommode are good for the perceived meaing, but I'm not sure I have ever seen discommoder/incommoder used (not to mention that most people would not be familiar with the words). Incommodious could be used to describe the woman, but you still have the issue of word recognition. Offender, bother, and tormenter are options, but they might be too strong for your purpose. Instead of using an -er word, you could go with words like affliction, annoyance, bane, vexation, exasperation, inconvenience, misery, plague, nightmare... the list goes on and on.

 

[Handley_Page]

So you're in the supermarket and someone runs up, grabs you by the hand, and says "Susan! [let's say your name is Susan] Come look at this!" That woman is Susan's _______ . Charles Nelson Reilly, you go first.

I'm imagine that "accoster" is a word, but I don't like it. "Assailant" seems too violent. "Nuisance" is correct, but not really helpful. Suggestions?

I think that there is some sort of connection between Susan and her "accostor" (Susan being the 'Accostee'), so a word has to be selected that might indicate a degree of familiarity (rather than a 'someone').

Susan was accosted ?

Who's Charles Nelson Reilly ?

 

[Austin8]

I think that there is some sort of connection between Susan and her "accostor" (Susan being the 'Accostee'), so a word has to be selected that might indicate a degree of familiarity (rather than a 'someone').

Susan was accosted ?

Who's Charles Nelson Reilly ?

He's an old comedian

 

[michchick98]

Who's Charles Nelson Reilly ?

I only remember him from the days of Match Game PM and Match Game 76. He was a regular on that show, but apparently, he had a long and successful career.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Nelson_Reilly

 

[TE999]

Bete noire: if this woman is a continual annoyance or a pest to Susan.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Because I'm actually looking for a word to describe a person, I assume the word would be trespasser and I'm not sure that "Susan's trespasser" is quite what I want. Trespasser usually refers to an intrusion on land, I think, or at least would do so in the minds of the readers with whom I'm trying to communicate. Also, it makes Susan sound a little overly reclusive, as if she believes nobody else should speak to her unless spoken to. Thanks, though.

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,

the power and the glory,

for ever and ever.

Amen

The word means to infringe on the time or privacy of others..

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Try OBTRUSIVE or the archaic form oF impose, IMPOSSIBLE.