word in any language, like 'beergoggles'- but for everything?

May 28, 2017 1:41 PM

As the title asks: I'm trying to think of a single word that means "a thing I would not ordinarily do if it were not for this circumstance/situation". English preferred (though I can't think of one I'm readily familiar with), but I will accept any language. : ) Thanks MeFiters.
posted by bitterkitten to Writing & Language (20 answers total)

Blinders, impairment, rose colored glasses, blindsided, prejudice, oblivious, clouded judgement.
posted by Oyéah at 1:51 PM on May 28, 2017

Departure? Anomaly? Both are a bit more vague, though. Maybe adventitious?
posted by Nothing at 2:10 PM on May 28, 2017

I can't think of a name for the thing, but the situation you're talking about I would refer to as "extenuating circumstances;" in that situation, the activity would be a one-off, though that term by itself has other meanings.

Other phrases that describe this type of situation might be "a Hail Mary," "needs must," or "desperate measures."
posted by gideonfrog at 2:42 PM on May 28, 2017 [4 favorites]

Fallout. Collateral (damage). Unintended (consequences). Extraordinary (circumstances).

I'm thinking of a lot of two-word phrases where the first word could kind of stand alone.
posted by limeonaire at 4:14 PM on May 28, 2017

Exception: 'thing that is excluded from a general statement or does not follow a rule'.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 4:16 PM on May 28, 2017 [3 favorites]

An exigent action?
posted by MonkeyToes at 4:25 PM on May 28, 2017

A desperation maneuver?
posted by MonkeyToes at 4:34 PM on May 28, 2017

Disinhibition
posted by mbrubeck at 4:37 PM on May 28, 2017

Desperate
posted by forforf at 4:47 PM on May 28, 2017

You had to be there?
posted by The Underpants Monster at 5:21 PM on May 28, 2017 [1 favorite]

One-off
posted by OHenryPacey at 5:26 PM on May 28, 2017 [3 favorites]

Brain fart.

I've made a huge mistake.
posted by porpoise at 6:04 PM on May 28, 2017

"Aberration" ("a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected, typically an unwelcome one" but also "mental irregularity or disorder, especially of a minor or temporary nature; lapse from a sound mental state") is the most obvious choice (e.g. "My client's actions were a regretable aberration in an otherwise blameless life, resulting from the stress caused by X") but may not strongly convey the general connotation of it being circumstantially caused you might be seeking, rather than more specifically being caused by an anomalous state of mind.
posted by howfar at 7:29 PM on May 28, 2017 [3 favorites]

Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds
posted by MythMaker at 8:38 PM on May 28, 2017

Tunnel vision?
posted by getawaysticks at 5:13 AM on May 29, 2017

nonce
posted by eye of newt at 1:32 PM on May 29, 2017

Ad hoc.
posted by Rich Smorgasbord at 2:54 PM on May 29, 2017

"needs must"
posted by Mchelly at 6:45 PM on May 29, 2017 [1 favorite]

"needs must"

Good suggestion, Mchelly. I had forgotten the rest of it: "Needs must when the devil drives."
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:48 PM on May 29, 2017 [1 favorite]

A relevant term in biology is "facultative".

So a facultative anaerobe is a bacterium that prefers to use oxygen for respiration but will make do with an anaerobic environment, while a facultative biped usually walks on four legs but can walk on two when necessary.

The wikipedia page also links to the word "opportunism", which I don't think anyone mentioned yet.
posted by rollick at 2:13 PM on May 30, 2017 [1 favorite]