I have been racking my brains for a week trying to remember a verb that describes the activity of talking in a downward manner to someone you think doesn't know what you're are talking about.
206717
Condescend and patronize curiously are used to explain each other: to be condescending is to speak in a patronizing manner and vice versa :O).\n\nThe difference, though, is that in condescending, one is "descending" to the level one perceives the other to occupy;  in patronizing, one is acting or speaking in a manner that a patron or sponsor would act, that is, like a superior in rank.\n\nSo if you speak in a way that says, "I am adjusting my speach to accomodate the inferior mental abilities of the person I am speaking to," you would be condescending.\n\nIf you speak in a way that says, "I am adjusting my speech in a way thatdemonstrates my sense of the difference in mental/educational rank between me and the other person," you would be patronizing.
242870
a verb is an action word
245589
I think this is a case of a writer, or his editor, searching for a word and not coming up with the word he intended. I think he was looking for "tapped," which can mean selected, but his mind gave him "tabbed" instead. It's not the making of a noun into a verb that is the problem. That's done all the time in informal English. It's just not a good word choice.
216594
There is a saying that goes something like; it's better to keep your mouth shut and be thought to be a fool, than to open your mouth and confirm it.  You've found this out the hard way.  That's the bad news.\n\nThe good news is, ~you~ feel a fool for a week or so; by tomorrow everyone else will have forgotten the incident.  Just think before you speak, and if you aren't sure the answer is right, then say 'I think it might be such and such, but I'm not sure!'  That absolves you from being a big-head know-it-all if it's right, and a loser if it's wrong - after all, you did say you weren't sure!
373903
He may have some feelings of insecurity going with a younger person, so that comment would have bummed him out big time. I don't think you were being insensitive or him being up tight, it sounded like it was said without any thought, but wrapped in the moment of chatting and laughing. Do you know what I mean? I sometimes say some dumb as stuff and then realise I said something that was offensive, but had no intention to.
531757
Or, maybe they kind of knew that you didn't really mean things in a bad way, or the way it sounded.  I have had conversations with people like what you describe (me, being the one who you think should be pissed off), and I just considered it something that they didn't mean, or not how it sounded.  If, later on, it really was meant in the bad way, I would find out about in some way or another.
436492
Might be a tie, but I think I confuse others more--by talking too fast.  I [usually] know what I'm trying to say but am often met with blank looks because my wordsslurredtogether.  ;)
208958
"Suck" is a verb.  When you graduate from grammar school, perhaps you can visit Yahoo again and formulate an intelligent question.
413106
now dont laugh but I think.....the dictionary. Because it sounds out the way a word is said & also gives its meaning. If you go to www.dictionary.com it also has a thesaurus that gives other words that mean the same or similar.  Happy learning :o)
540788
Here's a link to an Internet slang dictionary: http://www.noslang.com/dictionary.php\n\nDon't feel bad about not being able to figure out "L.A.F.F." The periods would have thrown me off too.
29934
avoid cliches.\nSHOW what you're feeling, dont TELL what you're feeling.\n\nfor example:\ntelling - the doorbell rang, and i was afraid to answer the door.\nshowing - the doorbell rang, and my muscles locked up. i didn't want to find out who was on the other side of the door.
443742
I have never heard of it before but didn't find it offencive.  Even after it was explained by someone else.\nMaybe it wasn't this word that got the response deleted but something you'd said........\nI like it.\nI think I'll use it.  lol
385833
you have forgotten too many verbs
222074
wish i knew what you're trying to say
398321
I have never heard of that word; I have no idea what it means, when to use it or what tense it's in.  I promise I will never use that word (whatever it means)!!\n-MM
75087
I remember when I got in trouble for answering a question CORRECTLY.  I think the teacher felt threatened because I had a better understanding of English (the subject, not the language) than she did.  My parents are both former English teachers, what can I say?  She was talking about something and said "I can't remember what it's called when you can spell a word the same forward and backward."  I answered that is was a "palindrome."  She said, "Oh, I remember now.  It's a homophone!"  I answered, very respectfully, that a homophone is something that sounds the same.  (homo=same, phone=sound)  She snarled at me and told me to go look it up.  I was right, and ever since that day, she tried to make everything harder on me, or would make sarcastic comments like "What do YOU think, smarty-pants?"  Still made an "A", and thank God I only had her one year.
581758
they often contradict themselves. say one thing, then complete opposite. I honestly could never figure them out. but like to gab (talk) which is nice.