There's a specific word I'm looking for and I even remember it being from Philip Roth's novel 'American Pastoral'. I just can't think of what the actual word is, but its meaning is to focus on the specifics of something to the detriment of the whole.
124195
I am looking for a word that would describe being obsessed with the details of a larger entity such that the "looker" neglects to see the whole or (perhaps more importantly) the purpose of the whole.  Basically, "not seeing the big picture".  What can [more] succinctly describe this?  Edit: I just found this post: . I think I want the exact opposite.
112896
I am looking for a word that encapsulates "teenager-ish" - that sort of petulant, contrarian, immature behavior. Any ideas?
22638
It isn't any of the words on this  and I believe it started with the letter 'e' (though please offer your word even if it doesn't).  Example sentence: Because he researched what he had heard from his friends, he was able to refute many of their _________________.  Factoid seems to be the closest one, but the word I am looking for only refers to a belief that is false.
84224
Are there idioms (or single words) in English for people who behave like they have come from another world where everything is perfect and know nothing about the reality? They usually come up with ideas that can never work, but look attractive if you don't analyze them properly. They know nothing about science, and it seems they don't know that people lie, cheat and get violent. PS in Russian we usually use the word "эльфы" (elves) for such people, and they are supposedly visiting our world from the "world of elves". It's usually considered pejorative.
45378
It might be a short story or it might be a novel. It must be before 1972 because I read it in my youth and I am OLD.  The following is very impressionistic.  There is a multidimensional/not of this Earth/alien artifact-like tunnel.   Picture a long, perhaps transparent, storm drain like structure sitting in a field but with an opening on only one end.  It is the subject of a lengthy investigation/exploration that has cost many lives. An instrumented investigator enters the "tunnel" and makes the exact movements that his predecessors have made, advancing until he must do something original at which point he survives and a new "move" is added to the list of correct moves or he is destroyed and a "move" is added to the list of things to be avoided at that point.  I remember absolutely nothing else about the work except that (I hope central) feature.
10043
This feeling can often be paralyzing in that you see valid points on either side; makes you not able to choose a side.  Seeing can also be understanding, supporting, taking active part in.  I'm looking for words that don't imply a "Janus"/traitor tone or the ambivalence tone, but the (property of the) process that precedes the paralyzing feeling and whose property is more reminiscent of walking a mile in another man's shoes.  Tag says single-word but multi-word adjectives can be okay. I usually shy away from just adding -y to make adjectives.  Sorry for the vague wording, I'll happily take suggestions on how to word this better. Thanks! :)  Usage: "And above all, I hope __ will become the preferred method to prepare for debate, to: ..."  It's a two-sided process of analysis involving attacks and reconciliations of attacks.  I was hoping for an established academic term for this, but perhaps none exist. I will embrace an inventive new word for this! This is a paper for peer review, so the meaning should be apparent to academics.
56908
I know there's a word for "like-minded" people, generally used in a negative context.  For example, you could say employees of the CIA are __, in that they all want to ensure the security of the nation, whatever the price/cost.  I think it starts with a "c", it's on the tip of my tongue and I can't think of it.  Any ideas?  Just editing this a bit.  Thanks everyone for your responses.  It may not start with a "c" but the word "cadre" is close to what I'm looking for, but once again with a potentially more negative association.
64877
Please carefully read the text below:     On 24 November, 1993, a meeting of Leftist intellectuals occurred in   London under the auspices of the Institute for Public Policy   Research (IPPR), which is a Labour-leaning think-tank.  A short document   was circulated in advance of the said meeting to clarify its   purpose.        Among other things, the document declared that the task of the   IPPR was: "To do what the Right did in the seventies, namely to break   through the prevailing parameters of debate and offer a new   perspective on contemporary British politics."    The explanatory document also said, "Our concern is not to engage in a   philosophical debate about foundations of socialism."      If this meant that those foundations were not the appropriate thing to   talk about at the 24 November meeting, then that might have been   right; not every thing has to be discussed at every meeting.  But if   what was meant was that discussion of philosophical foundations is not   what the Left now needs, then I disagree, and if that indeed is what   was meant, then it is curious that the breakthrough by the Right should   have been invoked as an achievement for the left to emulate, for if   there is a lesson for the Left in the Right's breakthrough, it is that   the Left must repossess itself of its traditional foundations on   pain of continuing along its present, politically feeble, reactive   course.  If the Left turns its back on its foundations, it will be   unable to make statements that are truly its own.   Since I've heard only one definition of the part identified in bold, I am at a dead end.  As you know, and according to Oxford's dictionary, the verb "repossess" means: To take back property or goods from SB who has arranged to buy them and can not pay.  Here, the object of verb is a thing not a person, but in the text, first,itself comes before of and its traditional foundations. As a result, I thought that this phrase might be an idiom and so has a different meaning with the original verb.  Please explain the meaning of this phrase.
56806
I was on a mountain the other day and had a moment where I just had to stop and take it all in. I felt insignificant (in the best way) and just stopped to admire where I was. The closest words I could find was something along the lines of biophilia, or the German word Waldeinsamkeit.
7332
I frequently find myself needing a word to express happiness that acknowledges a tragic or unfortunate circumstance underpinning that happiness. Preferably the word could have both adjective and verb forms. For example, "Gregory [verb-ed | felt adjective about] the balmy February day, suspecting it was yet another consequence of catastrophic and irreversible climate change."  "Bittersweet" is close, but not precisely right. It implies ambivalence rather than genuine gladness. "Schadenfreude" is also in the neighborhood, but I don't want to imply that the tragic part of the situation is what causes the pleasure. (Also, I recognize that the word may not quite exist in English, and I don't know if this is forbidden for this forum, but I'd welcome a loan word or phrase if there's a better one.)
87544
Some people write bloated books and long essays with skilful use of hooks, e.g. Jared Diamond; some others speak in long-drawn sentences with torrents of words, e.g. Noam Chomsky. It reminds me of a tactic politicians use in public discourse to waste people's time. I came across this word before but I can't retrieve it from either memory or the internet.
92475
I've written a song about people who constantly wait for something good to happen to them and am looking for a word to describe this state/paradox/condition.   The song is about people who expect life to get better for no reason, talk about moving to a bigger city or a different place as if that would magically make them rich, famous and happy, and keep talking about how they are going to do this or that, but never do it. I was under the impression that there's a psychological term for this state, but can't google it up, so I probably made it up.  This is essentially a song about myself, I keep talking about how I love to make music, or shoot videos, but I never actually produce anything, yet it's the only thing I can think of. When it comes to the moment to take action – I just stay at home watching tv shows.  I know it's a broad question and list of topics, but I guess I'm looking for a word that describes this state – of doing NOTHING.
54037
I would use rope-a-dope, but it's got connotations of pretending to lose that I don't need. I'm trying to describe the behavior of someone who sends twenty detailed emails a day about various projects, and the recipient of his emails has finally gotten tired of trying to parse them, so the recipient just agrees to whatever he proposes. I'd like an expression that evokes both outward earnestness and hidden creepiness, like Uriah Heep, Dickens's "Humble servant" with veiled ambition, who overdoes it with professions of humility until he's in power. Water torture would work, but comes too close to a more racist expression that I'm not comfortable with.
61901
I remember starting, and losing, a book in the late 80s, early 90s, that I have been trying to  remember for a while now.  It's not much to go on, I realise, but the main crux of the plot, until I left the book in a phone booth :/, was an ice age (either implied or stated, I can't recall) was starting, and a (I think implied) glacier was moving closer to the main castle or walled city of the novel.   The setting was not specifically High Fantasy, but a medieval style setting.  The interesting thing I always remember about the book was that the antagonist appeared to be the ice itself, slowly, but inexorably, getting closer.
77783
I was hoping for some help on this one. I'm looking for a word that carries all the connotations of "excruciating" (intense, prolonged, unbearable, torturous, etc) but relating to pleasure rather than pain.  I could potentially use "excruciating pleasure", applying it's lesser used meaning to imply "extreme/intense" - it might even be somewhat poetic, but there's an implication of masochism that doesn't really fit my narrative.  Any suggestions? I'm happy to to accept a clever protologism if no such word exists!  As an example:     The slow, seemingly endless mingling of their bodies was _______.
107544
I am looking for a generalized term for "the belief that there is a single or narrow range of correct interpretations of events or a circumscribed set of permitted actions in a particular situation as prescribed by an unquestionable authority."  Fundamentalism fits to some degree, but has a religious connotation whereas people can hold the above belief without also believing in a deity or god. Also, people who identify as fundamentalist have a much different usage for the word.    Any suggestions for a term that captures the belief without referring specificity to the religious?  ETA: Very good suggestions.  To clarify a bit more, what I am looking for is a word or short phrase that emphasizes a reliance on an unquestionable authority.  Many words that have that connotation also seem to to be used to mean a steadfast  belief.
112350
I'm trying to find a word that encompasses both these ideas. I thought pharisaic would be a bark up the right tree, but it appears to pertain more to hypocrisy and legalism.  Ideally the word should encapsulate the idea that some form of good is being displayed for the primary purpose of self-gain.  I understand that such an action could be hypocritical, but that word does not necessarily imply the act of doing good only for the praise it brings.  The Pharisees are a great example of this (with their ostentatious tithing), but the word named after them doesn't seem to have been applied to that aspect of their character.