# A good way of saying this?



## Robdemanc (Dec 15, 2011)

Do you know when someone is crouched down and they are getting ready to stand up, as if they are waiting for a moment to spring to life, they sometimes lift themselves onto their tip toes (like beginning a race).   I want a good way of saying this.

I have my character crouched down, hiding behind a stairway, he is waiting for the right moment to spring to his feet so he can get in a room when the door opens.   I want to say he is up on his tip toes as the door opens.

I have been using the word "purged" as in "he purged his toes", or "he purged himself ready".  But I found out "purged" means something quite different and innapropriate.

Any ideas?


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## Cran (Dec 15, 2011)

A common approach to this is to liken the character to a predatory animal - hunched down like a cat ready to pounce; a coiled serpent waiting to strike - or else something like the sprinter's starting-block stance. In each instance, a sense of breathless tension is inferred. Another examples might be the sky-diver preparing to jump just before the green light flashes. Or the Olympic swimmer (again) on the starting block.

If there is a word which encompasses that instant of physical and emotional tension, the mental countdown, the weight on the toes ... it doesn't come immediately to my mind.


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## Vertigo (Dec 15, 2011)

Poised or tensed. Those are the ones that first come to mind with me.


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## Olly Buckle (Dec 15, 2011)

Poised certainly, as in 'Poised ready to spring into action'. The toes are a little less definite, tensed is good, curled would also work.


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## Bloggsworth (Dec 15, 2011)

_On his haunches_ means exactly that, to transfer the weight to the back legs either ready spring or sit down.


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## Robdemanc (Dec 16, 2011)

Thanks all, I think I may go with "poised".   I certainly like the comparison with an animal also but the character is not about to leap onto someone.   But will keep that one in mind for when he does.   Cheers.


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## Cran (Dec 20, 2011)

If you use poised, then it's best done as *Olly* exampled - _poised to spring_.

Poised on its own has a very different meaning. 


> *poised/poizd/*
> 
> 
> Adjective:
> ...


-http://www.google.com.au/search?q=poised&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a&sei=0KjwTuyuBIeaiAerwJStAQ&gbv=2


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## Cran (Dec 20, 2011)

Robdemanc said:


> Thanks all, I think I may go with "poised".   I certainly like the comparison with an animal also but the character is not about to leap onto someone.   But will keep that one in mind for when he does.   Cheers.



a cat's crouch prior to pouncing is not just for predation, but for any intended leap (such as across a gap, or from level to a higher level), however it's used in conjunction with running during the hunt or in play with another cat.


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## Robdemanc (Dec 20, 2011)

Cran said:


> a cat's crouch prior to pouncing is not just for predation, but for any intended leap (such as across a gap, or from level to a higher level), however it's used in conjunction with running during the hunt or in play with another cat.



I could do: "He was crouched beneath the stairway, poised like a cat ready to pounce."  

But I wonder if it sounds a little feminine?  Maybe use Leopard...

Thanks


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## Cran (Dec 21, 2011)

Leopard, yes ... or jaguar ... or cougar ... lion or tiger are distinctly male (_cf_ lioness, tigress).


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