Talk:riptide

I have checked several Oxford dictonaries and found that none have "riptide" as a word. They do have "rip tide".

Also none have the second meaning:

"2. A confusing situation in which a person is overwhelmed."


 * riptide in one word is the American spelling. As for the second meaning, it’s probably just the figurative usage of the main sense. —Stephen 23:35, 21 May 2008 (UTC)


 * riptide seems slightly more common than rip tide. I am not entirely happy with all elements of the second figurative sense, especially the emotional reaction to the phenomenon, which is readily separable from the phenomenon itself. DCDuring TALK 23:46, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

riptide
rfv'd sense: "A confusing situation in which a person is overwhelmed." This seems like a plausible figurative use, but is it common enough? Also should the sense include the emotional reaction or just the idea of overpowering (conflicting ?) currents ? DCDuring TALK 23:40, 21 May 2008 (UTC)
 * By "is it common enough" you mean you doubt that three citations can be found? That's all that is required for the sense to be verified. --EncycloPetey 13:56, 22 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Yes. That's what I meant, but I'm not sure that the sense to be verified should even include the emotional reaction. DCDuring TALK 14:17, 22 May 2008 (UTC)
 * As the riptide of disaster swept over new cities, beleaguered bankers turned frantically to Washington, some demanding cash by airplane! 1936
 * Life immediately after the surgeries and complications was like a riptide in which the incoming waves meet together obliquely and create an undertow that can pull a person from the shore and safety. 2007
 * As HR divisions expand their functions to help each sex understand each other's sense of humor, men will understand what feels like a riptide to a woman, and women will see the riptide as an opportunity to develop their skills of "going with the flow". 2005
 * - Amgine/talk 23:13, 13 September 2008 (UTC)


 * Those cites don't really support the given definition, two are using riptide in metaphors not independently. The first does seem valid but I would argue that it also doesn't match the definition.  Going to strike the second definition until cites can be found which make it a standalone definition rather than an extension or metaphoric usage. -  23:43, 1 June 2009 (UTC)