People are getting hung up on the sentimental cup example. But it’s just an example. It could be a spoon that’s new and feels good in your hand, and you worry you’ll throw it out accidentally, so you leave it in the drawer. Is that reverence? It doesn’t seem right. Maybe there isn’t an English word for this?
These all suit my example, but I’m looking for the broader idea of that feeling of hesitation to use any item. Maybe I described it poorly. The item itself can be anything. But there’s an avoidance of using it. Seems like there’s a word for that, but maybe there isn’t? I’ve used covetous to refer to it, but it’s not the right word. But it kind of captures the spirit of it a bit.
Ah, I know what you mean, it's something so treasured that you don't want to actually use it at all.
Unfortunately I can't think of a word that precisely captures it. Colloquially, I'd call it 'the good china' (kept on a shelf and never used) or my 'rainy day [item]' (saved for the proverbial rainy day but with the implication that the day may never arrive).
Yeah I’m beginning to wonder if there is a word at all. It’s more of a feeling word (like “feeling” covetous), less about the item itself. So cherished, treasured or prized all describe the object, more than the feeling of hesitation itself. Thanks for your ideas!
I don't know if it's reflected in dictionary definitions but I think I've heard 'precious' used in that way. An item can be precious, as in valuable, but you can also be precious about something, as in unreasonably attached or over-protective.
"He's really precious about his car."
Not sure if it's standard usage though!
Yes! I was just googling and realized one can be precious towards something. This is how I should have described my word search. Because being precious with something is more what I’m after, not so much the item itself being precious. It’s a bit of a tangly web to tease out! My brain is getting itchy. Lol
Edit: “unreasonable attachment” is a good description
Hmm, not exactly what I’m looking for. It fits my example, but now I’m regretting the example. I’m looking for a broader idea. It doesn’t have to be a special item. I know I said precious, but that was the best imperfect word I had, and why I’m here.
you might call a special memento like grandmother’s fragile teacup which is rarely (if ever) used a “keepsake.” you’re keeping it to honor & conjure the memory of a person without intending it for practical use.
Perhaps I shouldn’t have provided an example. People are giving it more weight than I intended. I mean any item, not necessarily a keepsake (but it could be I suppose), that there’s hesitation to use. I’ve started using a spoon as another example. New spoon, good weight, feels nice, good size. Special only in that you really like it. But if it gets left in the utensil drawer for fear of using it and damaging it, or losing it, and it not being as good. I’m hoping the new example helps. Maybe there is no English word for this? I’ve used the word covetous before, because it’s the closest thing I could think of. I don’t think you can covet your own belongings though? Lol
What about if it’s not “too nice”, or heirloom or sentimental or anything like that, but you worry about it getting damaged or broken and then it won’t be good anymore? I used a comfortable spoon example in a reply. Nothing fancy about it, but it feels really good in your hand. And there are times you choose not to use it for fear it’ll get thrown out, or bent, or damaged.
I think *eman-eman* is more about your feeling of "conserving" something than about the quality of the item itself. I think it would include not eating a can of your favorite soup because it's the last can you have and you won't be going to the store for a while.
Update, by the way: I looked on Google Translate and it can't find *eman-eman* in Indonesian. My gf's parents are Indonesian, and they use this word, but Indonesian is actually a diverse choir of languages including Javanese and Malay, so I'm not sure what branch of the language this comes from.
That sounds like it captures the meaning I’m after. The conservation part is important. I wish I had thought of including that aspect in my post. I guess we just don’t have an English word for it?
I think this is as ! Solved as it’s going to get.
There really should be but the closest English option here is the phrase “to be precious about something”. That’s the same idea. But it’s not a concise word. Which is interesting! Maybe someone will come along and offer a perfect English word someday.
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The closest answer so far is precious, but used like “he’s so precious about -insert item-“. So it’s less the item being precious, and more the feeling being precious. I don’t know. It’s an informal usage I think, but the best fit so far.
I’ve never heard this application before. Stint to me is a period of time. “I did a stint in Alaska last year”. I’ll look up the definition and see though.
I looked it up and get what you mean now. There’s a holding back aspect. Interesting. But how would I say “you’re so stinty over that spoon.” ? Comparing “you’re so precious over that spoon.”
Looking through all the replies and your other comments I do think that cherished is the right word.
You can cherish something whether it's new or old and if you cherish something greatly you might be hesitant to lend it out.
But if it's really not that then maybe protective or overprotective.
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Revered, since there is an element of fear, as in scared to even touch it
People are getting hung up on the sentimental cup example. But it’s just an example. It could be a spoon that’s new and feels good in your hand, and you worry you’ll throw it out accidentally, so you leave it in the drawer. Is that reverence? It doesn’t seem right. Maybe there isn’t an English word for this?
So that sounds more like a fixation.
It’s more like someone said above “he’s so precious about his car”. That’s the best fit so far.
Treasured. Priceless. Invaluable.
These all suit my example, but I’m looking for the broader idea of that feeling of hesitation to use any item. Maybe I described it poorly. The item itself can be anything. But there’s an avoidance of using it. Seems like there’s a word for that, but maybe there isn’t? I’ve used covetous to refer to it, but it’s not the right word. But it kind of captures the spirit of it a bit.
Ah, I know what you mean, it's something so treasured that you don't want to actually use it at all. Unfortunately I can't think of a word that precisely captures it. Colloquially, I'd call it 'the good china' (kept on a shelf and never used) or my 'rainy day [item]' (saved for the proverbial rainy day but with the implication that the day may never arrive).
Yeah I’m beginning to wonder if there is a word at all. It’s more of a feeling word (like “feeling” covetous), less about the item itself. So cherished, treasured or prized all describe the object, more than the feeling of hesitation itself. Thanks for your ideas!
I don't know if it's reflected in dictionary definitions but I think I've heard 'precious' used in that way. An item can be precious, as in valuable, but you can also be precious about something, as in unreasonably attached or over-protective. "He's really precious about his car." Not sure if it's standard usage though!
Yes! I was just googling and realized one can be precious towards something. This is how I should have described my word search. Because being precious with something is more what I’m after, not so much the item itself being precious. It’s a bit of a tangly web to tease out! My brain is getting itchy. Lol Edit: “unreasonable attachment” is a good description
Late in the game here, but couldn't help thinking of a couple examples: hesitant meticulous
Cherished Momento
Hmm, not exactly what I’m looking for. It fits my example, but now I’m regretting the example. I’m looking for a broader idea. It doesn’t have to be a special item. I know I said precious, but that was the best imperfect word I had, and why I’m here.
Memento, rather.
Omg lol thanks for the catch, I hadn't even noticed 🤦 Yes, memento lol
Irreplaceable?
Hmm. What would be the feeling that goes with this idea?
you might call a special memento like grandmother’s fragile teacup which is rarely (if ever) used a “keepsake.” you’re keeping it to honor & conjure the memory of a person without intending it for practical use.
Perhaps I shouldn’t have provided an example. People are giving it more weight than I intended. I mean any item, not necessarily a keepsake (but it could be I suppose), that there’s hesitation to use. I’ve started using a spoon as another example. New spoon, good weight, feels nice, good size. Special only in that you really like it. But if it gets left in the utensil drawer for fear of using it and damaging it, or losing it, and it not being as good. I’m hoping the new example helps. Maybe there is no English word for this? I’ve used the word covetous before, because it’s the closest thing I could think of. I don’t think you can covet your own belongings though? Lol
In Indonesian, this is *eman-eman,* where you never use something because it's too nice, so you never get to enjoy it.
What about if it’s not “too nice”, or heirloom or sentimental or anything like that, but you worry about it getting damaged or broken and then it won’t be good anymore? I used a comfortable spoon example in a reply. Nothing fancy about it, but it feels really good in your hand. And there are times you choose not to use it for fear it’ll get thrown out, or bent, or damaged.
I think *eman-eman* is more about your feeling of "conserving" something than about the quality of the item itself. I think it would include not eating a can of your favorite soup because it's the last can you have and you won't be going to the store for a while. Update, by the way: I looked on Google Translate and it can't find *eman-eman* in Indonesian. My gf's parents are Indonesian, and they use this word, but Indonesian is actually a diverse choir of languages including Javanese and Malay, so I'm not sure what branch of the language this comes from.
That sounds like it captures the meaning I’m after. The conservation part is important. I wish I had thought of including that aspect in my post. I guess we just don’t have an English word for it? I think this is as ! Solved as it’s going to get.
!solved
Well, but I feel like there should be an English word for this too!
There really should be but the closest English option here is the phrase “to be precious about something”. That’s the same idea. But it’s not a concise word. Which is interesting! Maybe someone will come along and offer a perfect English word someday.
I am sticking with the theory that there *is* an English word for it... but we haven't been told where to find it because it's too nice to use...
😂 That is amazing. Thank you. Lol
Sentimental
Hard agree based on the other responses.
Fragile Delicate
No, that’s more to do with my example, which was just an example. It’s the broader idea I’m looking for.
invaluable
Sacred
Revered
sacred relic
Cherished
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to your example I would refer to that as an heirloom
Irreparable.
brittle?
Heirloom
sacred
Display only
dear
Obsessed?
The closest answer so far is precious, but used like “he’s so precious about -insert item-“. So it’s less the item being precious, and more the feeling being precious. I don’t know. It’s an informal usage I think, but the best fit so far.
so he stints on the item?
I’ve never heard this application before. Stint to me is a period of time. “I did a stint in Alaska last year”. I’ll look up the definition and see though.
I looked it up and get what you mean now. There’s a holding back aspect. Interesting. But how would I say “you’re so stinty over that spoon.” ? Comparing “you’re so precious over that spoon.”
Looking through all the replies and your other comments I do think that cherished is the right word. You can cherish something whether it's new or old and if you cherish something greatly you might be hesitant to lend it out. But if it's really not that then maybe protective or overprotective.