Thursday, December 02, 2010

Creepy?

What does the word "creepy" mean to you? Here's what MWU says:
(1) marked by creeping or slow motion
(2) having or producing a sensation as if insects are creeping on the skin : inducing a nervous, shivering apprehension
(3) causing horror especially by suggestion
(1) is weird - I'd never say something like "this traffic is creepy today" meaning "slow", or "that caterpillar is creepy" meaning "creeping". And for (2), the "having" is weird. For me, "creepy" has only a causing meaning.

But clearly the writers of Charlie Chan's Secret held that the having meaning was fine. During a ouija board session, they had the butler say:
Frankly, madame, this sort of thing makes me quite creepy.

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1 Comments:

At 9:48 AM, December 02, 2010 Anonymous Mark had this to say...

I agree with you. It seems that the meaning of "creepy" has been creeping.

 

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