http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/?utm_source=rss Euphemisms old and new Copyright 2009, Thinkmap Inc. All Rights Reserved. en Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.visualthesaurus.com/images/common/logo_on_white.gif http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/?utm_source=rss Search for a word in the Visual Thesaurus word http://www.visualthesaurus.com Evasive Maneuvers http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/2061?utm_source=rss It's in bad taste to make fun of your followers. It tends to discourage, you know, the following. Still, I can't resist gently heckling one of my recent Twitter followers who described herself as: "Newly married humom of the two cutest dogs in Twitterverse and beyond." Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/2061 Evasive Maneuvers http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/2011?utm_source=rss As the author of the only euphemism column in North America or star quadrant XL47, you would be correct in assuming that I enjoy euphemisms as much as sunshine and chocolate cake. Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/2011 Evasive Maneuvers http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/1970?utm_source=rss Recently, at the vibrant dog community in Chicago's Lincoln Park, a two-pound, three-month-old malti-poo puppy was engaged in a rigorous, Pepe le Pew-like program of incessantly humping every dog in his path. Well, not every dog. He did stick to pooches that were somewhat in his "league," such as my own 12-pound rat terrier, who thankfully didn't bite the preposterous puppy's head off for taking such liberties. Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/1970 Evasive Maneuvers http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/1941?utm_source=rss In this month's Evasive Maneuvers column, our master of euphemisms tackles food and the consequences of food — on earth and in the cosmos. Recently, aboard the International Space Station, a crisis struck! Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/1941 Evasive Maneuvers http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/1905?utm_source=rss Will the Appalachian trail ever be the same? Environmentally, I think so. Linguistically? Not a chance. Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/1905 Evasive Maneuvers http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/1873?utm_source=rss Euphemisms, like bedbugs and zombies, never strike when you expect them; they're always lurking under a pillow or zombie master that seemed so harmless. So imagine my delight when, right here in the pages of Visual Thesaurus, I read about one of the most delicious, audacious, egregious, preposterous euphemisms of my lifetime or yours — frozen popsicle (http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/teachersatwork/1848/) as a synonym for homework. Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/1873 Evasive Maneuvers http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/1843?utm_source=rss If you feared the end of the Bush administration meant there would be no more preposterous government-propelled euphemisms to keep us warm and confused in these dark nights of the soul, fear not! And while you're non-afraid, how'd you like to buy some legacy assets? Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/1843 Evasive Maneuvers http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/1804?utm_source=rss As a resident of Chicago and citizen of the great state of Illinois, I feel as though I am in the center of the political cosmos, whence all good and bad things emanate. Where else has given you, in such a short time, the first black President and the first disgraced former governor with a giant rodent living on his head? You're welcome. Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/1804 Evasive Maneuvers http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/1755?utm_source=rss As the only euphemism columnist in America, it is my sacred duty to help euphemisms swim and purr to their greatest potential, lest Darwinian forces maul them prematurely. Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/1755 Evasive Maneuvers http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/1688?utm_source=rss Recently, my friend Diane started feeling nauseous and passing out. After a scary trip to the emergency room, she learned the problem was her heart: it kept stopping every once in a while, so she was strongly advised to get a pacemaker. (She now has one and is doing great, thank Zeus.) But when Diane was debating what to do, a doctor not only came down in favor of pacemaker insertion, but a certain word choice as well: "Oh, it's not a surgery," the doctor said. "It's only a procedure." Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/evasive/1688