questions

[v_cat]

3 things in no particular order...

1) Does anyone have a labcoat in my size that I can borrow for Masks?

2)How many people know what the word "anneal" means and of those who do, is it an ok word to use when not talking about metalwork?

3)How many people out there still find the word "queer" jarring or even offensive?

Comments

[scribe_of_stars]

2. It's a biology term, too. When geneticists subject DNA to intense heat, the two helices break apart; they then start "annealing" again under reduced temperatures. They use this technique to introduce Polymerase Chain Reaction primers to the DNA, which will make certain DNA patterns readily apparent with enough repetitions.

[roguesylph]

1) sadly, no

2) there's also a computer science term "simulated annealing" that stems from the metalworking term, but describes an optimization algorithm (non-technical answer: yeah, I've heard it used not in reference to metalwork)

3) me

[emp42ress]

Primers anneal to DNA for PCR.

[v_cat]

is there another good word in the english language that means "to put through hell to make someone more flexible and stronger?"

[scribe_of_stars]

The closest verb I can think of is multi-purpose: "to condition." In this case, intense physical and mental "conditioning" can accomplish what you described.

[marius23]

"Temper" (again from metalworking) is the only word that comes to mind. Hmm, perhaps "building character"? As in "I hate having to do foo." "Aww, it's good for you, builds character!"

[iwaswinged]

1) no
2) no idea what it means
3) My problem wiht the word 'queer' is that I've always loved the word when used in a way having nothing to do with sexuality. I think it's the sound of the word, or something along those lines, but I will admit I got frustrated when 'queer' became the new prefered word (by many) for 'sexually non-traditional'. That said, I only find it a jarring word because it's not what the word means in my head, but I think I prefer 'queer' to many alternatives.

[lordameth]

I'm with you completely on #3. It's a great word in a totally non-sexual context. "It's raining frogs. That's mighty queer." or "He looks awfully queer, wearing a coat in the middle of August."

But then they go and "take back" the word, and twist around its meaning, and the rest of us can no longer use it... Seems they've taken an awful lot of words that used to have non-sexual meanings. Like gay and fairy.