Quick, can't think of the right word. Help!

[Fatmankev]

Hey WC,

I feel like there are times when we're writing when we just can't think of the right word, even though we know there's a perfect one for the situation. Try as you might, you can't find it in the thesaurus or anywhere else.

Well, this is the place to solve that problem. Initially, I was just going to ask you all to help me find the right word. As I sat here thinking about how wasteful it was to start a whole post to solve such a small problem, it dawned on me; this is a recurring problem, and one that is likely shared by all of us here. So why not make a thread dedicated to it, so we can each post our own problems and get solutions whenever we need them?

Keep in mind, it's dedicated to helping each other find the right words for something, so try to keep it on topic, but I never complain when things stray from the main road.

Why not just use thesaurus.com, you might ask? By all means, do! I love it, and learn new words all the time (although I rarely use them if I've never heard them used before). But that's just a thesaurus. You type in a word, and it gives you the synonyms. What if one word is not enough to explain the idea you're trying to represent, and you need to ask it in a string of words? Well then you're just screwed.

It may seem pointless to some. But I've gotta tell ya, I've done far, far more pointless things than this. So if you've got the time, why don't you stop in and help out?

 

[Fatmankev]

So my problem: I need a single verb to describe the action of speaking in a sugary sweet tone. More specifically, the tone a manipulative teenager would use with a friend's parents to convince them of a lie about sneaking out. Like... I wish I could explain it better, but I hope you get what I'm saying.

Anyways, thanks for the help.

 

[Zakyath]

it's not right on, but perhaps palter might cut it if you don't find anything better?

edit: reread your post, perhaps not... anyways good idea for a thread

 

[Syndrome]

So my problem: I need a single verb to describe the action of speaking in a sugary sweet tone. More specifically, the tone a manipulative teenager would use with a friend's parents to convince them of a lie about sneaking out. Like... I wish I could explain it better, but I hope you get what I'm saying.

Anyways, thanks for the help.

I think honeyed would work. It kind of sounds like it's being forcefully sweet.
That's the only more concise word I know. Other words I could think of is mushy, or thick.

 

[Fatmankev]

Honeyed works well, but it's an adjective. I'm looking for a verb that denotes the same meaning, ya know? It's tricky, but I'm sure there's a word for it out there somewhere... right?

Thanks for replying.

 

[Syndrome]

I honestly can't think of a single word that can be used as a verb to achieve the same meaning, but my vocabulary is probably very narrow.
I think I might have went to write something like...
She heavily laced her words with honey, figuratively drenching them with the overly sweet substance though it did little to hide her true intentions.

 

[Fatmankev]

Not bad, but lose the adverbs - they're unnecessary here, and a bit flowery.

I'm also a member of the Writing Forums site, where I posted the same question. Although I couldn't get the word I was looking for (likely, because it doesn't exist), I was offered some solid advice with a clever example:

Don't decorate the tag. Infuse it into the context instead.

Ideally, a speech tag should virtually disappear. Itrs primary purpose is to inform the reader who is speaking the dialogue. So don't use obscure verbs, and it's best to use adverbs only rarely with a speech tag.

"Surely you don't believe I was involved," she said.

Kelso wished he had pancakes for all that syrup. "Of course not. But you understand I have to check every possibility anyway."
It really seemed like a clever approach I'd never considered, although it didn't apply exactly to my specific situation. I just thought I'd share it because it seemed like a sound idea.