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 Word Help: Racking my brain...

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Free-Will
Confessor Kahlan
Hippocampus
Calwyn
Professor X
IMagius
rainshadow
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rainshadow
Compulsive Writer
Compulsive Writer
rainshadow


Posts : 2294
Join date : 2009-05-25
Age : 43
Location : SW Kansas

Word Help: Racking my brain... Empty
PostSubject: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptyWed Jun 15, 2011 4:25 pm

I am in the middle of writing and came to a scene that is meant to describe the main character's sleep habits. I've been racking my brain for a word and it's just not coming to me, so I figured I'd come to my fellow World Builders and see if you can help me out.

The main character tends to be a "violent" sleeper, I guess is a good way to put it. Not in the sense that she goes off and kills people in her sleep (heh... interesting concept but not in this particular story... sorry to disappoint! :p). She essentially rolls about in the sack. She's not a restless sleeper. It's not unusual for people just tends to go to bed and wind up in some pretty bizarre positions throughout the night.

Thanks in advance, guys... I know you'll come through for me!
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IMagius
Primary Character
IMagius


Posts : 326
Join date : 2009-11-19
Age : 52
Location : Ontario, Canada

Word Help: Racking my brain... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptyWed Jun 15, 2011 6:25 pm

Mattress Hog (Hogette) / Mattress Monkey
Active Sleeper
Thrasher

Around here, the term "Rabbit Chaser" is used as well - reference comes from watching dogs sleeping on thier sides and their legs "running" as they presumably chase rabbits in their dreams.

Rather than putting a name to it, if someone is watching her sleep/sleeping with her - perhaps they could describe it as something like "trying to sleep with a grecko-roman wrestler".

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rainshadow
Compulsive Writer
Compulsive Writer
rainshadow


Posts : 2294
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Age : 43
Location : SW Kansas

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PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptyWed Jun 15, 2011 9:51 pm

Sweet. It's a great start. Very Happy
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Professor X
Founder of the X-Men
Founder of the X-Men
Professor X


Posts : 1734
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Age : 46
Location : London ON, Canada

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PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptyWed Jun 15, 2011 10:27 pm

My mother always described me as a Hurricane because every time she looked in on me I was in a different position (sometimes not even in the bed anymore). Also, sheets seemed to fly across the room!
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Calwyn
Sidekick
Calwyn


Posts : 1067
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Age : 37
Location : Ercildoune

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PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptyThu Jun 16, 2011 2:21 am

Thrasher or tosser are the two words that come to mind for me.
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Hippocampus
Minor Character
Hippocampus


Posts : 57
Join date : 2010-04-16
Age : 48
Location : Wales

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PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptyThu Jun 16, 2011 5:42 am

I once watched a film by a local director entitled "Sleep Furiously", a documentary about a Welsh village which included some speeded-up footage of a baby sleeping (and wriggling and thrashing all over the bed). My daughter and partner are both furious sleepers. My daughter has ended up in various odd sleeping positions such as leaning her head on the bed with her feet standing on the floor. I once found her (after some time spent searching) down the side of the bed, in the narrow gap between the bed and the wall, still sound asleep!
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Confessor Kahlan
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Confessor Kahlan


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Age : 51
Location : In the palace at Farilay

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PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptyFri Jun 17, 2011 5:20 pm

Calwyn wrote:
Thrasher or tosser are the two words that come to mind for me.

I wouldn't use the word tosser. It might lead to some ... misunderstandings ... over this side of the Atlantic.

Thrasher is better.
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Hippocampus
Minor Character
Hippocampus


Posts : 57
Join date : 2010-04-16
Age : 48
Location : Wales

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PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptySat Jun 18, 2011 4:59 pm

I'm not sure that it is even possible for a woman to be a tosser in the strictest sense of the term.
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Free-Will
Minor Character
Free-Will


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Join date : 2009-06-13
Age : 52
Location : The edge of Reason

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PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptySat Jun 18, 2011 10:24 pm

Actually looking all over the net and violent sleeper seems to be the proper term for what you describer. If you want something different try something like "he lay their in Volatile Repose" or something like that.
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rainshadow
Compulsive Writer
Compulsive Writer
rainshadow


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PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptySat Jun 18, 2011 10:35 pm

I've made a determination on how I want to describe it and it turned out to be a bit of a cute/funny scene. Yeah, when I'm ready to post it it'll go in the CW forum. Thanks a bunch for your help; I don't know what I'd ever do without my homies... LOL
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Sister of Darkness
Secondary Character
Sister of Darkness


Posts : 253
Join date : 2010-04-22
Age : 34
Location : Lost in the scary wonderland that is my mind.

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PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptySun Jun 19, 2011 11:16 am

I guess you are not gonna use sleeping all willy nilly!
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omnilord
Minor Character
omnilord


Posts : 74
Join date : 2009-07-08
Location : Delaware, USA

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PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptySun Jun 19, 2011 12:15 pm

Make sure the term "tosser" doesn't mean something completely different in Britain. I have heard it used in some tv shows I have watched and it seems to have a derogatory meaning.

Anyone from England care to share?
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rainshadow
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rainshadow


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PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptySun Jun 19, 2011 1:26 pm

I don't intend to use the word. In fact, the story I'm working on is kinda considered to be for kids. So yeah, no tossers, pimps, or whores... LOL

For those who are interested... it's a term for males who like to be... um... self-stimulated.
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carnage rahl
Primary Character
carnage rahl


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Location : Where Chaos Of The World Converge

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PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptySun Jun 19, 2011 5:31 pm

I thought violent sleeper work just right, with a bit of explanation before or just behind it for clarification.

willy nilly works well for a children's story as well. it would show wit and humor in your choice of words Smile
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Hippocampus
Minor Character
Hippocampus


Posts : 57
Join date : 2010-04-16
Age : 48
Location : Wales

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PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptyMon Jun 20, 2011 4:38 am

rainshadow wrote:
For those who are interested... it's a term for males who like to be... um... self-stimulated.
In other words; a tosser is a merchant banker!
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rainshadow
Compulsive Writer
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rainshadow


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PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptyMon Jun 20, 2011 8:18 am

Yes. That's exactly what a tosser is! Very Happy
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RainCloud
Primary Character



Posts : 325
Join date : 2010-03-10
Age : 34

Word Help: Racking my brain... Empty
PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptyTue Jun 21, 2011 3:39 am

Tosser doesn't have the greatest image in the US either... lol
Glad you found your word though, RS. Reading that you had a brain freeze gave me one too lol
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omnilord
Minor Character
omnilord


Posts : 74
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Location : Delaware, USA

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PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptyTue Jun 21, 2011 10:04 pm

RainCloud wrote:
Tosser doesn't have the greatest image in the US either... lol
Glad you found your word though, RS. Reading that you had a brain freeze gave me one too lol
Don't you mean a `Rain Freeze? Razz
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rainshadow
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rainshadow


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PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptyWed Jun 22, 2011 8:19 am

punshadow approved
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carnage rahl
Primary Character
carnage rahl


Posts : 513
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PostSubject: Re: Word Help: Racking my brain...   Word Help: Racking my brain... EmptyWed Jun 22, 2011 10:02 am

oh you guys are horrible, but I still laughed anyway lol
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