Gross

Here's a word I use far too often. It's this fascinating multi-tool in my linguistic tool box, all reliant on my tone and situation. Time to ick some people out!

The scuzz that accumulates in grout is gross.
Burnt edges on an otherwise perfect sunny-side-up egg are gross.
The sensation of a needle in your vein when donating blood is gross.
Molting cicadas are gross.
A kind word and a hug from my begrudging brother are gross.
The fact that my parents at about thirty years of marriage go out on a bicycle built for two on the weekends is gross.
Shy and sweet gestures of affection from my boyfriend are super gross.

It's become a universal expression of disgust, distaste, and immature delight for me. I'm not sure when or how this happened. I'm not sure how it began.

It's amazing to me. I mean, I've studied enough languages and taken enough linguistic courses to know with smug satisfaction that languages are a constantly evolving social construct (much to the frustration of my more grammatically particular associates). As long as you're conveying your intended message to the person on the other end, you can consider it proper [Insert Language Here] all the live long day. This is without getting into the intricate details of linguistics which I'm sure I'll get into one of these days because BOY HOWDY is that stuff heady but fun! but probably the most amazing thing is, people I speak to know what I mean when I say gross, depending on how I say it.

Or at least I think they do.