« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2   Go Down

Author Topic: Need Thesaurus help  (Read 5907 times)

Offline Quantus

  • Special Collections Division
  • Needs A Life
  • ****
  • Posts: 25216
  • He Who Lurks Around
    • View Profile
Need Thesaurus help
« on: March 12, 2008, 08:40:47 PM »
OK, Im trying to find words that fit each of the four elements and denote a massive upheaval or destructive event.  So far I have:

Deluge for water, Conflagration for Fire, Maelstrom for Air...

Im stuck on earth. 


Any ideas?
Logged
<(o)> <(o)>
        / \
      (o o)
   \==-==/

“We’re all imaginary friends to one another."

"An entire life, an entire personality, can be permanently altered by just one sentence." -An Accidental Villain

comprex

  • Guest
Re: Need Thesaurus help
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2008, 08:43:00 PM »
lahar
avalanche
mudslide
Logged

comprex

  • Guest
Re: Need Thesaurus help
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2008, 08:43:59 PM »
Not so sure about maelstrom for air, though.    Maybe I read too much Poe.
Logged

Offline Starbeam

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 5722
  • Twitter: @stellamortis
    • View Profile
    • Stella Mortis
Re: Need Thesaurus help
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2008, 10:09:59 PM »
Actually, if you look up the dictionary definition of maelstrom, it's a whirlpool, more than anything to do with air.  But then that's just dictionary definition; used in context, it could be like you want.  As for earth, the most I could come up with was earthquake.  Couldn't think of much else.
Logged
"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you." Ray Bradbury

comprex

  • Guest
Re: Need Thesaurus help
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2008, 10:14:58 PM »
Isn't it weird that he can't use 'cataclysm' for flood?
Logged

Offline Yeratel

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 8872
    • View Profile
Re: Need Thesaurus help
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2008, 03:01:34 AM »
Quote from: Starbeam on March 12, 2008, 10:09:59 PM
Actually, if you look up the dictionary definition of maelstrom, it's a whirlpool, more than anything to do with air.  But then that's just dictionary definition; used in context, it could be like you want.  As for earth, the most I could come up with was earthquake.  Couldn't think of much else.
For air, I'd think more "vortex" than "maelstrom". In terms of destructive earth events, I'd think "eruption" or "cataclysm".
Logged
"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. " -RAH

Offline MonaLS

  • Conversationalist
  • **
  • Posts: 785
    • View Profile
Re: Need Thesaurus help
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2008, 03:34:44 AM »
Quote from: Quantus347 on March 12, 2008, 08:40:47 PM
OK, Im trying to find words that fit each of the four elements and denote a massive upheaval or destructive event.  So far I have:

Deluge for water, Conflagration for Fire, Maelstrom for Air...

Im stuck on earth. 


Any ideas?

Earthquake?
Logged
“There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast” Anonymous

Offline Quantus

  • Special Collections Division
  • Needs A Life
  • ****
  • Posts: 25216
  • He Who Lurks Around
    • View Profile
Re: Need Thesaurus help
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2008, 12:24:00 PM »
Quote from: MonaLS on March 14, 2008, 03:34:44 AM
Earthquake?
Too specific.  Same with avalanche.  Im looking for none specific earth-based destruction.  :-\
Logged
<(o)> <(o)>
        / \
      (o o)
   \==-==/

“We’re all imaginary friends to one another."

"An entire life, an entire personality, can be permanently altered by just one sentence." -An Accidental Villain

Offline The Corvidian

  • Conversationalist
  • **
  • Posts: 987
  • I like crows and ravens.
    • View Profile
Re: Need Thesaurus help
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2008, 06:03:53 PM »
Upheaval?
Logged
Clarke's Third Law: Sufficently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Niven's Converse to Clarke's 3rd Law: Sufficently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science.

Offline Noey

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 3555
  • Life On Planet Pink.
    • View Profile
Re: Need Thesaurus help
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2008, 06:04:54 PM »
What about eruption, like a volcano?
Logged
You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me. - C.S. Lewis

Offline Yeratel

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 8872
    • View Profile
Re: Need Thesaurus help
« Reply #10 on: March 14, 2008, 09:13:30 PM »
Quote from: Quantus347 on March 14, 2008, 12:24:00 PM
Too specific.  Same with avalanche.  Im looking for none specific earth-based destruction.  :-\
"eructation" seems to work. My Unabridged has as a reference, "Mount Aetna hath, in times past, eructated such huge goblets of fire. . . - Howell."
Logged
"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. " -RAH

Offline Hell's Belle

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 2044
    • View Profile
Re: Need Thesaurus help
« Reply #11 on: March 15, 2008, 05:29:08 AM »
For earth? Hmm. How about something a bit off-the-wall, such as 'decrustation'?  As others have said, it's all in the context.  Disintegrate, crumble, pulverise...
Logged
Good, Fast, Cheap. Pick two.
-Solomon Short

Offline AverageGuy

  • Conversationalist
  • **
  • Posts: 197
    • View Profile
Re: Need Thesaurus help
« Reply #12 on: March 15, 2008, 05:29:06 PM »
Rush, spate, torrent, barrage, outpour, fall, sweep, crash?
Logged
DV AverageGuy v.1.2 YR8 FR7 BK++ RP- JB- TH+ WG+ CL+ (Lich) SW BC MC+++++ SH[Murphy+++, Lara--/+]

Offline Quantus

  • Special Collections Division
  • Needs A Life
  • ****
  • Posts: 25216
  • He Who Lurks Around
    • View Profile
Re: Need Thesaurus help
« Reply #13 on: March 16, 2008, 02:13:43 PM »
something more...Grand *holds up fist in display of Might*  :P
Logged
<(o)> <(o)>
        / \
      (o o)
   \==-==/

“We’re all imaginary friends to one another."

"An entire life, an entire personality, can be permanently altered by just one sentence." -An Accidental Villain

comprex

  • Guest
Re: Need Thesaurus help
« Reply #14 on: March 16, 2008, 07:05:09 PM »
Tumult
Logged
Pages: [1] 2   Go Up
« previous next »