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What does “tripwire†mean as a verb?
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Half Nelson offers an opportunity to marvel, once again, at the dazzling talent of Ryan Gosling for playing young men as believable as they are psychologically trip-wired. (source)
Though familiar with the noun, I have never seen "tripwire" used as a verb. Also I am not able to find the verb form in any dictionaries. Here the quoted usage is figurative, which is even rarer, if not the writer's own invention. Google Books searches return several hundreds results for the exact word "trip-wired", most of which though are about land mines or traps. What exactly does the word in the quoted line mean? "Wired", "geared", "equipped", "disposed", "inclined", or "triggered"?
meaning meaning-in-context word-meaning figurative-language verbing
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Deansue
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Half Nelson offers an opportunity to marvel, once again, at the dazzling talent of Ryan Gosling for playing young men as believable as they are psychologically trip-wired. (source)
Though familiar with the noun, I have never seen "tripwire" used as a verb. Also I am not able to find the verb form in any dictionaries. Here the quoted usage is figurative, which is even rarer, if not the writer's own invention. Google Books searches return several hundreds results for the exact word "trip-wired", most of which though are about land mines or traps. What exactly does the word in the quoted line mean? "Wired", "geared", "equipped", "disposed", "inclined", or "triggered"?
meaning meaning-in-context word-meaning figurative-language verbing
asked 3 hours ago
Deansue
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up vote
1
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favorite
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
Half Nelson offers an opportunity to marvel, once again, at the dazzling talent of Ryan Gosling for playing young men as believable as they are psychologically trip-wired. (source)
Though familiar with the noun, I have never seen "tripwire" used as a verb. Also I am not able to find the verb form in any dictionaries. Here the quoted usage is figurative, which is even rarer, if not the writer's own invention. Google Books searches return several hundreds results for the exact word "trip-wired", most of which though are about land mines or traps. What exactly does the word in the quoted line mean? "Wired", "geared", "equipped", "disposed", "inclined", or "triggered"?
meaning meaning-in-context word-meaning figurative-language verbing
asked 3 hours ago
Deansue
1,146722
Half Nelson offers an opportunity to marvel, once again, at the dazzling talent of Ryan Gosling for playing young men as believable as they are psychologically trip-wired. (source)
Though familiar with the noun, I have never seen "tripwire" used as a verb. Also I am not able to find the verb form in any dictionaries. Here the quoted usage is figurative, which is even rarer, if not the writer's own invention. Google Books searches return several hundreds results for the exact word "trip-wired", most of which though are about land mines or traps. What exactly does the word in the quoted line mean? "Wired", "geared", "equipped", "disposed", "inclined", or "triggered"?
meaning meaning-in-context word-meaning figurative-language verbing
meaning meaning-in-context word-meaning figurative-language verbing
asked 3 hours ago
Deansue
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asked 3 hours ago
Deansue
1,146722
edited 3 hours ago
asked 3 hours ago
Deansue
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asked 3 hours ago
Deansue
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asked 3 hours ago
Deansue
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1 Answer
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I'm a native speaker, and I had to read that sentence a few times. It's a figurative use of that phrase, really just in line with what you found about physical traps. I wouldn't say it's common, but it's not unheard-of. I'm not familiar enough with Gosling's past work to be sure what's being referenced though.
To start off with a clear foundation: the author is saying that Ryan Gosling is very good at playing believable young male characters, that those characters tend to be "psychologically trip-wired", and that he's good at playing those characters that way.
If something is described as being figuratively trip-wired, it just means that any wrong move could cause some effect - usually a negative effect. If someone was described as being "emotionally trip-wired", I'd take it to mean that they don't have good control of their emotions, that the slightest mis-step by those around them could make them blow up in anger or break down in grief. Or both.
So if someone's psychologically trip-wired, I'd say it means their mental state is so fractured that they will snap back and forth between different states with very little provocation.
I'd say "trip-wired" isn't totally uncommon as a verb, and it is descriptive, but it's not really a standard turn-of-phrase.
answered 3 hours ago
HammerN'Songs
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
accepted
I'm a native speaker, and I had to read that sentence a few times. It's a figurative use of that phrase, really just in line with what you found about physical traps. I wouldn't say it's common, but it's not unheard-of. I'm not familiar enough with Gosling's past work to be sure what's being referenced though.
To start off with a clear foundation: the author is saying that Ryan Gosling is very good at playing believable young male characters, that those characters tend to be "psychologically trip-wired", and that he's good at playing those characters that way.
If something is described as being figuratively trip-wired, it just means that any wrong move could cause some effect - usually a negative effect. If someone was described as being "emotionally trip-wired", I'd take it to mean that they don't have good control of their emotions, that the slightest mis-step by those around them could make them blow up in anger or break down in grief. Or both.
So if someone's psychologically trip-wired, I'd say it means their mental state is so fractured that they will snap back and forth between different states with very little provocation.
I'd say "trip-wired" isn't totally uncommon as a verb, and it is descriptive, but it's not really a standard turn-of-phrase.
answered 3 hours ago
HammerN'Songs
1463
New contributor
HammerN'Songs is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
accepted
I'm a native speaker, and I had to read that sentence a few times. It's a figurative use of that phrase, really just in line with what you found about physical traps. I wouldn't say it's common, but it's not unheard-of. I'm not familiar enough with Gosling's past work to be sure what's being referenced though.
To start off with a clear foundation: the author is saying that Ryan Gosling is very good at playing believable young male characters, that those characters tend to be "psychologically trip-wired", and that he's good at playing those characters that way.
If something is described as being figuratively trip-wired, it just means that any wrong move could cause some effect - usually a negative effect. If someone was described as being "emotionally trip-wired", I'd take it to mean that they don't have good control of their emotions, that the slightest mis-step by those around them could make them blow up in anger or break down in grief. Or both.
So if someone's psychologically trip-wired, I'd say it means their mental state is so fractured that they will snap back and forth between different states with very little provocation.
I'd say "trip-wired" isn't totally uncommon as a verb, and it is descriptive, but it's not really a standard turn-of-phrase.
answered 3 hours ago
HammerN'Songs
1463
New contributor
HammerN'Songs is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
accepted
up vote
3
down vote
accepted
I'm a native speaker, and I had to read that sentence a few times. It's a figurative use of that phrase, really just in line with what you found about physical traps. I wouldn't say it's common, but it's not unheard-of. I'm not familiar enough with Gosling's past work to be sure what's being referenced though.
To start off with a clear foundation: the author is saying that Ryan Gosling is very good at playing believable young male characters, that those characters tend to be "psychologically trip-wired", and that he's good at playing those characters that way.
If something is described as being figuratively trip-wired, it just means that any wrong move could cause some effect - usually a negative effect. If someone was described as being "emotionally trip-wired", I'd take it to mean that they don't have good control of their emotions, that the slightest mis-step by those around them could make them blow up in anger or break down in grief. Or both.
So if someone's psychologically trip-wired, I'd say it means their mental state is so fractured that they will snap back and forth between different states with very little provocation.
I'd say "trip-wired" isn't totally uncommon as a verb, and it is descriptive, but it's not really a standard turn-of-phrase.
answered 3 hours ago
HammerN'Songs
1463
New contributor
HammerN'Songs is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I'm a native speaker, and I had to read that sentence a few times. It's a figurative use of that phrase, really just in line with what you found about physical traps. I wouldn't say it's common, but it's not unheard-of. I'm not familiar enough with Gosling's past work to be sure what's being referenced though.
To start off with a clear foundation: the author is saying that Ryan Gosling is very good at playing believable young male characters, that those characters tend to be "psychologically trip-wired", and that he's good at playing those characters that way.
If something is described as being figuratively trip-wired, it just means that any wrong move could cause some effect - usually a negative effect. If someone was described as being "emotionally trip-wired", I'd take it to mean that they don't have good control of their emotions, that the slightest mis-step by those around them could make them blow up in anger or break down in grief. Or both.
So if someone's psychologically trip-wired, I'd say it means their mental state is so fractured that they will snap back and forth between different states with very little provocation.
I'd say "trip-wired" isn't totally uncommon as a verb, and it is descriptive, but it's not really a standard turn-of-phrase.
answered 3 hours ago
HammerN'Songs
1463
New contributor
HammerN'Songs is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 3 hours ago
HammerN'Songs
1463
New contributor
HammerN'Songs is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 3 hours ago
HammerN'Songs
1463
answered 3 hours ago
HammerN'Songs
1463
1463
New contributor
HammerN'Songs is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
HammerN'Songs is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
HammerN'Songs is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |Â
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