What do you do when you can't think of the critical word in an aphorism or idiom?

[AG31]

Yesterday I wanted to say, "I'll put my oar in," but I couldn't think of "oar." This is happening more and more as I age, right up there with blanking on the name of a decades long acquaintance. Anyway, I tried searching for this:

What word should replace xxx in this sentence? "I'll put my xxx in."

Google advised me to check my spelling.

Chatgpt replied:
The word that would typically fit in the sentence "I'll put my xxx in?" depends on the context. Some possibilities could include:

• "coat" – "I'll put my coat in."
• "bag" – "I'll put my bag in."
• "effort" – "I'll put my effort in."
• "thoughts" – "I'll put my thoughts in."

What do you do in that situation?

 

[NotWise]

Short term, I usually find a different way to say the same thing.

Long term, it'll come to me eventually. If I'm writing and I really want to use the phrase, then I might use a place-holder (like your "xxx") and get back to it when I remember.

 

[SimonDoom]

I haven't quite encountered this, although I also have reached an age where I encounter blank spots in the memory that I didn't have before. The inability to pull up the name of a celebrity, for example. And I'm worse than ever at remembering phone numbers and addresses.

Like NotWise, I just make a quick pivot and find an entirely different way of saying it.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

My process involves multiple read-throughs of my stories where I change and morph lines to be more concise or emotive, changing words all the time. I usually throw in a place holder and let the word come to me when it does. If you do something similar, then I don't see an issue with just leaving the 'XXX' in there.

 

[yowser]

There are a couple idiom dictionaries out there, although as in your case, it's always hard to find something you can't name. But next time you may want to give one of these a try:

https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/

https://www.theidioms.com/search/#gsc.tab=0

 

[AlinaX]

I hate when there's a word on the tip of my thingy.

 

[StillStunned]

I hate when there's a word on the tip of my thingy.

Me too, but luckily most people are taught not to speak with their mouth full.

 

[AlinaX]

The same people insist it's rude to spit.

 

[TheLobster]

I hate when there's a word on the tip of my thingy.

Shake it off three times and zip up.

 

[UsuallyPresent]

I'd try googling. Something like, phrase starting "put your" ending "in"

That didn't work, 'course - gets "put your foot in it" but not oar.... *shrug* But it has worked for me in other cases in the past, so there's that.

Or did I imagine that?

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Happens all the time. Rather than interrupt my flow trickle of thought , I highlight it and move on. Eventually, during one of the raft of rewrites, reconsiderations, edits and midnight frets that follow the submission, the right word comes back. I haven't (yet) had to publish one reading, "It was a dark and ______ night."

 

[XerXesXu]

Yesterday I wanted to say, "I'll put my oar in," but I couldn't think of "oar." This is happening more and more as I age, right up there with blanking on the name of a decades long acquaintance. Anyway, I tried searching for this:

What word should replace xxx in this sentence? "I'll put my xxx in."

Google advised me to check my spelling.

Chatgpt replied:
The word that would typically fit in the sentence "I'll put my xxx in?" depends on the context. Some possibilities could include:

• "coat" – "I'll put my coat in."
• "bag" – "I'll put my bag in."
• "effort" – "I'll put my effort in."
• "thoughts" – "I'll put my thoughts in."

What do you do in that situation?

I had a hard time finding Google. I had to enter Google.com in the search box. I entered:

'Could you help me with an English idion, I can't remember the appropriate word. It means contribute to a conversation and the form is "I'll put me ? in' or "I'll stick my ? in'?

It did return advice to check spelling'

I entered the same prompt into Copilot enhanced Bing, which is now the standard search in Windows 11; it replied:

'Ah, I believe the idiom you're looking for is "I'll put my two cents in" or "I'll stick my oar in." Both mean contributing an opinion or comment to a conversation, though "stick my oar in" can sometimes imply an unwelcome or unsolicited opinion, depending on context. Does that sound like what you had in mind?'

It's not just who you ask, it's the way you ask 'em.

 

[Areala-chan]

Replace the word you can't remember with 'schlong' and see what happens. Might be better. Might be worse. Never know until you try.

 

[AG31]

I had a hard time finding Google. I had to enter Google.com in the search box. I entered:

'Could you help me with an English idion, I can't remember the appropriate word. It means contribute to a conversation and the form is "I'll put me ? in' or "I'll stick my ? in'?

It did return advice to check spelling'

I entered the same prompt into Copilot enhanced Bing, which is now the standard search in Windows 11; it replied:

'Ah, I believe the idiom you're looking for is "I'll put my two cents in" or "I'll stick my oar in." Both mean contributing an opinion or comment to a conversation, though "stick my oar in" can sometimes imply an unwelcome or unsolicited opinion, depending on context. Does that sound like what you had in mind?'

It's not just who you ask, it's the way you ask 'em.

Interesting!!

 

[SmokingFap]

Yesterday I wanted to say, "I'll put my oar in," but I couldn't think of "oar." This is happening more and more as I age, right up there with blanking on the name of a decades long acquaintance. Anyway, I tried searching for this:

What word should replace xxx in this sentence? "I'll put my xxx in."

Google advised me to check my spelling.

Chatgpt replied:
The word that would typically fit in the sentence "I'll put my xxx in?" depends on the context. Some possibilities could include:

• "coat" – "I'll put my coat in."
• "bag" – "I'll put my bag in."
• "effort" – "I'll put my effort in."
• "thoughts" – "I'll put my thoughts in."

What do you do in that situation?

I usually just put XXX as a placeholder and move on. I find that I generally remember the exact word I wanted when I'm thinking about something completely different. Exact same thing for when I've lost something. I will find my keys when I'm looking for my drink.

 

[Baneson]

You could also make it part of the character. Like you, the character forgets or missmatch idioms. Could lead to some fun and interesting scenes.