Word is a sensible string of letters
Word is a single, distinct unit in a language
Word is a combination of sounds acting as a representation
Word can phrase, formulate, verbalize, and couch
Word is a signal, a pass to entry, or a personal declaration
Word can be guidance, news, a signal, or authoritative
Word is news, a rumor, a tale, propaganda, a story, or a promise
Word can long or short, monosyllabic or polysyllabic
Word expresses, but sometimes there is no word
Word is used with others words to communicate or be a private conversation
Words can be few or in so many
Words can be a speech, text, meanings, mottos, proverbs, stories, poems, lyrics, an oath, discussion, or a decree
Word has synonyms as lexeme, chitchat, idiom, utterance, concept, expression, and locution
We can put in a good word, describe in a word or in so many words
The right words can deliver an important message
Actions can substitute for a word
And then there is the teenage version where “word” means “yeah Mom.”
Elyse,
Good news about teens (as a group) is that they grow up …. bad news is they are replaced by the next batch.
A word is also 32 bits in computer architecture (though the length of a word is actually dependent on the processor length.)
Guapo,
Cool … gotta love additional information. Many thanks.
poignant last line there because actions speak louder than – you know.
Rich,
I knew I needed a suitable last line as a lead in for the video … and then it came to me.
I loved this, I love words. I am having a problem with them right now.
Val,
Words can be conjure many emotions …. and yet, sometimes we can’t quite find them even though we have well over 400,000 choices in our language alone.
Geesh, you pretty much summed it up, in a ‘word’. I don’t really trust words or in so much as far as I can throw them.
Hudson,
Is it the words or the one behind the words? Hmmmmm …. nonetheless, I know what you mean.
It depends, sometimes both, There are moments I don’t even trust my own words.
I know the feeling … well said.
Words are also the basic building blocks of knowledge.
Paradise,
Good addition!
“Word” Bru….
Bulldog …. you have me scratching my head on this one.
A saying you hear many young South Africans saying when you have said a truly amazing thing…
Many thanks … so cheers to that!
Lovely short Frank. Very well done. I wasn’t aware of it until you posted it. Thanks!
Lame,
… then again, I can’t expect you to keep up with everything! 
…. Glad you enjoyed it!
Wow … the one that I consider as the Theater Queen didn’t know of this one
What would we do without words? I think we would be lost. I loved the short, Frank! That was a good find.
Bumble,
The short is awesome … and what served as the inspiration behind this post.
and on a more “optimistic”[!] view:
“Words are loneliness.” ― Henry Miller,
“Be silent or let thy words be worth more than silence.” ― Pythagoras
“words cut like knives”!
Marina,
Excellent additions. I thought about adding quotes to this post, but there are so many, so I stayed with information from dictionaries. …. Hmmmmm …. I think you have given me an idea for a future post.
This was the first … video on the same theme .. blind man and the power of words – there is another one too. Just love the message. Words are .. very powerful and it’s all how we use them , but sometimes silence says more.
Fantastic post … Frank.
Viveka,
I tagged this video months ago knowing I could use it … then the idea came, which I held on to for some time before finally acting on it … and yes, silence can be more powerful too.
Scarily it’s made that song by 80′s band Cameo – ‘Word Up’ stick in my head and I have a vision of the singer gyrating in a red cod piece. I don’t believe that was your intended reaction
Joe,
Sorry that this post sparked that image & song in your head. I just checked it out, …. whew … I didn’t know that one.
Well now … this certainly puts a new twist on this post.
AArrrgh, I had cleared it from my head and reading this has brought it back.
There’s only one thing for it..
Oh no … sorry to rekindle the memory bank.
I loved this. Words carry a lot of weight, don’t they? They can change your life, for the better and sometimes the absolute worst. Scary stuff….
Nicole,
Carrying weight is a good description as they can do so many things … the choice of words, the situation, the tone, the person behind the words …. yes, the power is scary.
Word, dude!
Well, I’m back from my brief hiatus and your blog was the first one I read. Part of my time away was spent in meditation and specifically on (you guessed it) the power of words–to destroy or to build up. I find it fascinating and some what soul-crushing that in the age of access to so many words (Twitter, Facebook, TV, Talk Radio, Text, and cell phones), more often than not the words that swirl in and around our ears are so often hurtful (bullying) and misleading (how about Manti Te’o's hundreds of hours “talking” to a girl who never existed or Lance Armstrong’s years of lying).
Thanks for writing this post. It is excellent and has given me more food for thought. Cheers!
E-Tom,
Welcome back from your personal time.
Good point about words. Examples are many, including the ones you mentioned, and I think of the sharp words from the talk show yappers who have a goal of misleading in order to divide.
Meanwhile, don’t forget the wine group link I left you.
Very nice, Frank.
Thank you Cathy! It was fun putting together.
It is a common conception that actions speak louder than words, but one’s hesitance to take another at his word speaks far more loudly on the character of the doubter rather than the speaker.
Alex,
Good point … but as we know, there is always more to the story, that is it is possible in the speaker’s past that actually promotes the doubter’s thought.
Frank,
I just came back from On The Homefront’s post on her favourite words… The coincidence. And [insert word...].
Le Clown
Le Clown,
Thanks for the heads up because I haven’t been there today … but have now!
thanks Eric
Word can be good (put in a word for you) OR bad (we need to have a few words). And dang Guap, he got to the computer bit (bits?) before me! So I’ll also add, word can be a grudging admission of respect (Word, Guapo!).
And really, aren’t words the cement that holds the bricks of civilisation together?
John,
That’s ok the Guapo got it first …. after all, just think of the fact that you verified he didn’t pull it out of hind quarters.
World of words. Well done. Enough said.
Mouse,
Well said … must be from RC.
A cat of few words….
… and the one is the rules mere presence, thus much silence.
A word, any word, can be the difference between silence and company too.
Weebs,
Ah yes …. good one … thanks for sharing!
Good post. Words are very important to me, in fact I’d be speechless and blogless without them. But here’s a question – what is you favorite one?
Fasab,
Good points …. favorite what?
word
Peduncle
Good choice. I’ve always liked floccinaucinihilipilification.
That’s very Fasabian.
LOL there’s another good word
Glad to add to the mix.
My word, that is good stuff.
Cayman,
Touche … very good.
wow-who knew?
LouAnn,
There’s a lot in this words.
love this post–going to have to bookmark it so I can come back to it
so many people pondering words… I think.. its not the words.. they are just letters.. shapes..they can do nothing without a force, twisting them, hurtling them, singing or writing them.. with feeling – so which carries more weight? words or emotions? oh! a mental moment .. it didn;t take too long for me to get here Frank its still January after all
Lizzie,
Good point … a word is just a string of letters, but once put to use in context, and with the feelings behind them … and can impact in a variety of ways. Thanks for sharing and remember my little place over here.
These days I think words should be few..too much mindless chatter!
I liked this post, Frank. It read almost like poetry!
Debra,
Wow … “read like poetry” is quite the unexpected praise. Many thanks.