Hyacinth Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 I'm trying to come up with a good illustration for the word foible (defined as a largely harmless weakness or quirk). I thought of Sheldon Cooper's triple knock on Penny's door, but I don't want to confuse OCD behaviors with foibles. Google gave me someone who chews with their mouth open. I don't like that example. Anyone have a better example? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historically accurate Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 interrupting someone speaking gambling, drinking, etc. if it is not in the addiction arena laziness (eg: garden always needs weeding or bed is never made for no other reason than "I don't want to") never turning off the light when you leave a room or sleeping with the TV/radio on sloppy speech (eg: "Can I" instead of "May I" or "Irregardless") Would any of these work as an example? And now that I have thought about foibles for a minute or two, I'd like to say that foible is one of those words that doesn't sound like a word the more you use it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyacinth Posted June 18, 2021 Author Share Posted June 18, 2021 (edited) 19 minutes ago, historically accurate said: interrupting someone speaking gambling, drinking, etc. if it is not in the addiction arena laziness (eg: garden always needs weeding or bed is never made for no other reason than "I don't want to") never turning off the light when you leave a room or sleeping with the TV/radio on sloppy speech (eg: "Can I" instead of "May I" or "Irregardless") Would any of these work as an example? And now that I have thought about foibles for a minute or two, I'd like to say that foible is one of those words that doesn't sound like a word the more you use it. Right? Foy-bul. Foy-bul. Foy-bul. What am I even saying anymore??? Those are good examples! I like the interrupting and the sloppy speech, especially. Thanks! Edited June 18, 2021 by Hyacinth 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonhawk Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 8 minutes ago, historically accurate said: interrupting someone speaking gambling, drinking, etc. if it is not in the addiction arena laziness (eg: garden always needs weeding or bed is never made for no other reason than "I don't want to") never turning off the light when you leave a room or sleeping with the TV/radio on sloppy speech (eg: "Can I" instead of "May I" or "Irregardless") Would any of these work as an example? And now that I have thought about foibles for a minute or two, I'd like to say that foible is one of those words that doesn't sound like a word the more you use it. OMG. I'm a foible. 2 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyacinth Posted June 18, 2021 Author Share Posted June 18, 2021 1 minute ago, Moonhawk said: OMG. I'm a foible. Okay, this made me laugh. Hard. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReader Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 21 minutes ago, Moonhawk said: OMG. I'm a foible. my thoughts exactly, LOL! No wonder I couldn't think of any examples......they are all things that seem normal to me. Oops. 8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 fidgeting with things while at your desk. I have a squishy brain on my desk. A couples squabbles over whether dirty dishes go in the sink or on the counter. One is right, the other has a foible. 😁 4 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 8 minutes ago, elegantlion said: fidgeting with things while at your desk. I have a squishy brain on my desk. I have a squishy sloth. 🙂 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 Nah, a foible is something that is a unique, harmless, quirk or failing in one's character. It's that thing people have to put up with, when otherwise you're a mensch. "My boss' foible is story-telling. Meetings drag on while he tells a story." 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 18 hours ago, MercyA said: I have a squishy sloth. 🙂 I have a squishy tardigrade! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 I knew an elderly lady who insisted on collecting all of the tissue paper at bridal or baby showers. She would ask the bride/mom for the tissue paper, smooth out the wrinkles, fold it, and then take all of it home at the end of the party. It was her quirk, and we all smiled about it, but it was kind of weird. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 23 hours ago, elegantlion said: I have a squishy brain on my desk. 23 hours ago, MercyA said: I have a squishy sloth. 🙂 4 hours ago, Corraleno said: I have a squishy tardigrade! I hope that someone will remember these come December for the annual unusual gift thread. Regards, Kareni 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 3 hours ago, Junie said: I knew an elderly lady who insisted on collecting all of the tissue paper at bridal or baby showers. She would ask the bride/mom for the tissue paper, smooth out the wrinkles, fold it, and then take all of it home at the end of the party. It was her quirk, and we all smiled about it, but it was kind of weird. I don't insist...but family members at occasions know that I'll happily take home gift tissue paper rather than see it crumpled and thrown out. Call it my foible. Regards, Kareni 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 4 hours ago, Junie said: I knew an elderly lady who insisted on collecting all of the tissue paper at bridal or baby showers. She would ask the bride/mom for the tissue paper, smooth out the wrinkles, fold it, and then take all of it home at the end of the party. A perfect example. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 44 minutes ago, Seasider too said: Noun, verb or both? As far as I know, it's a noun. I've never heard it used as a verb, although language changes over time, much to my dislike. :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 8 hours ago, Corraleno said: I have a squishy tardigrade! Is it from Archie McPhee, by chance? I just read the autobiography of the store's founder a few months ago! Very amusing. 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 18 minutes ago, MercyA said: Is it from Archie McPhee, by chance? I just read the autobiography of the store's founder a few months ago! Very amusing. 🙂 Yes it is! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bensonduck Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 Mine is certainly leaving cups of half drank coffee around the kitchen. I periodically sip from them throughout the day as I come across one. Old cold coffee. I love it. My husband finds this odd, a little gross, and hilarious. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 On 6/18/2021 at 2:12 PM, Hyacinth said: I'm trying to come up with a good illustration for the word foible (defined as a largely harmless weakness or quirk). I thought of Sheldon Cooper's triple knock on Penny's door, but I don't want to confuse OCD behaviors with foibles. Google gave me someone who chews with their mouth open. I don't like that example. Anyone have a better example? My daughter twists a strand of her hair. It is distracting because it’s not particularly slow or random. It’s more self soothing. I suspect this might be an example? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 (edited) I have a few quirks -- I believe I'll start calling them foibles because I like the sound of that. (Here's one: if I'm out in public and someone walks by me, I'll often hold my breath because I don't want to breathe their air. I suppose it's a good thing I don't live in a crowded city...) 😐 Edited June 20, 2021 by alisoncooks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 On 6/19/2021 at 8:44 AM, Halftime Hope said: Nah, a foible is something that is a unique, harmless, quirk or failing in one's character. It's that thing people have to put up with, when otherwise you're a mensch. "My boss' foible is story-telling. Meetings drag on while he tells a story." That’s how I define it, too. I was thinking, for example, someone who never puts his car keys in the same place, such that every time he needs them, it takes him ten minutes to find them. It doesn’t typically hurt anything, but life would be better if they trained themselves to always hang the key on the hook. Another car-related foible is the person who constantly puts off re-fueling, so that eventually, you can’t go anywhere until you hit the gas station 3 miles off. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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