Nathan Bransford - The Forums

1. What's a non-colloquial word for 'bad-ass'? There has to be one, but I can't, for the life of me, think of it.
2. Let's say you get annoyed, frustrated, or let down; you let out a sharp sigh of exasperation. Is there a word for that noise?
3. Same but more indignant: the scoffing snort, or maybe the wry-faced pursed-lip raspberry.

For #2, perhaps "...he hissed through clenched teeth." I don't know. Best I can do. I got nothin' for the others.

badass should "cool"?

JohnDurvin wrote:1. What's a non-colloquial word for 'bad-ass'? There has to be one, but I can't, for the life of me, think of it.

Several connotations for badass, one, troublemaker, two, a masterfully skilled person, three, a person with a large ego. The main variant for the term is a compound word, no hyphen. Badass has a vulgar connotation, so it's an emotionally loaded term good for conveying emotional context.

JohnDurvin wrote:2. Let's say you get annoyed, frustrated, or let down; you let out a sharp sigh of exasperation. Is there a word for that noise?

Again, emotionally loaded context. Emotional expressions, words, facial expressions, gestures, body language are best for interpretation purposes when they occur in clusters. A single noise is open to broad interpretation. A nonvolitional reaction, like the context of the question suggests, might mean at least a pair of emotional reactions. Though leaving an emotional reaction open to interpretation can be as artfully dramatic as a reaction cluster. Huff is an onomatopoeic word for the context. A discourse marker might do as well. Huh. Hah. Huhn. Oh-ho. Huh-uh. Uh-huh. An acquaintance makes a aharp peep with her nose when she's exasperated. Wrapping context counts large.

JohnDurvin wrote:3. Same but more indignant: the scoffing snort, or maybe the wry-faced pursed-lip raspberry.

Ditto above. Snort, derisive snort. More visual and aural sensations, action emotion, for stronger reactions.

JohnDurvin wrote:1. What's a non-colloquial word for 'bad-ass'? There has to be one, but I can't, for the life of me, think of it.
2. Let's say you get annoyed, frustrated, or let down; you let out a sharp sigh of exasperation. Is there a word for that noise?
3. Same but more indignant: the scoffing snort, or maybe the wry-faced pursed-lip raspberry.

1. It depends on the nature of the badass. a machine like the over-used Mack truck? Weapons master? Human weapon? You get the idea. You really need to break this one down. If you mean badasses in general - hmmmm.

2. Isn't that a snort?

3. Can you use scoffed as a verb (Karl scoffed then laughed)? Or use the antino ontariom Onomatopoeic "Humph"

do over on 2. You said sigh, and even polymath knows a sigh isn't a snort. How 'bout bark, sharp growl, or grunt - a lot of it depends on context.

JohnDurvin wrote:1. What's a non-colloquial word for 'bad-ass'? There has to be one, but I can't, for the life of me, think of it.
2. Let's say you get annoyed, frustrated, or let down; you let out a sharp sigh of exasperation. Is there a word for that noise?
3. Same but more indignant: the scoffing snort, or maybe the wry-faced pursed-lip raspberry.

1. Rogue?
2. I usually go with 'scoff'.
3. Man, would I want to know that!!

Oh, this is fun...

1. What's a non-colloquial word for 'bad-ass'? There has to be one, but I can't, for the life of me, think of it.

cracker-balls / lad/lass worthy of semiology (or perhaps Polymath?) / right fight fortunous badcap

2. Let's say you get annoyed, frustrated, or let down; you let out a sharp sigh of exasperation. Is there a word for that noise?

puffed the atmosphere from her nostrils at the same time like she wasn't willing to let it out of the spout

3. Same but more indignant: the scoffing snort, or maybe the wry-faced pursed-lip raspberry.


and squinted so hard with her left eye, you could thread it with a needle

(Oh dear, the pent-up creative juices must have flooded the hood again...)

And a favorite of my husband's is rabble-rouser. (He is the one with the amazing vocabulary while I just like to make it up. )

Definition of RABBLE-ROUSER
: one that stirs up (as to hatred or violence) the masses of the people : demagogue
— rab·ble–rous·ing noun or adjective
See rabble–rouser defined for English-language learners »
See rabble-rouser defined for kids »
First Known Use of RABBLE-ROUSER
1843
Related to RABBLE-ROUSER
Synonyms: demagogue (also demagog), exciter, firebrand, fomenter, incendiary, inciter, instigator, kindler, provocateur

-http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/

and, again, it really depends on how you mean bad-ass.