PHYSICAL FEATURE THESAURUS

FINGERNAILS



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HELPFUL TIP:

Physical features should do more than simply describe how a character looks. Just like their occupation or area of giftedness, a character's appearance can say a great deal about them. Hinting at traits through clothing choices, alluding to an emotional state through movements, and highlighting certain details for comparison or contrast purposes can help readers form opinions on who the character really is.
DESCRIPTORS AND KEY ELEMENTS:
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COMMON ACTIONS AND ALTERNATIVE WORDS TO DENOTE THEM:
Pluck: pick, pull, collect, draw, harvest, gather, glean, cull
Drum: rap, tap, thrum, tattoo, beat
Scratch: scrape, scuff, cut, scar, chafe, rub, graze, rake, gouge, score, gash, tear, claw, slice

EMOTIONS AND RELATED GESTURES:
  • Nervousness is often shown through people fidgeting with their fingernails, exhibiting actions that include biting, chewing, nibbling, picking, pulling, and tearing. This emotion will also cause people to drum or tap their nails on a nearby surface.
  • For those exhibiting anger or rage, fingernails can be used as weapons to attack, cut, slash, slice, or otherwise harm others.

SIMILE AND METAPHOR EXAMPLES:
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CLICHÉS TO AVOID:
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BODY DESCRIPTION NOTES:
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