"There's really not a one-word description," she said.

They also possessed a son, Willie, who, even at the age of nine, would have elidted a one-word description from most white people: "uppity."

This was not very precise - and he decided to get people to add tags - brief one-word descriptions - to improve the search.

To the right of each was a one-word description of his or her employment classification and the previous government position held.

But at a birthday party one night, a contra leader gave me a one-word description of how he felt about General Ortega still in command.

The Islanders, whose coach has found no better a one-word description for his team than "unpredictable," have done the unexpected now for the past two weeks.

"They're disgusted, if you want a one-word description," Mr. North said of his callers' view of current Republican efforts.

Hibberd adds the one-word description, "fleshy," to describe the new Starz show.

But in spite of that, she had come away from the encounter with a one-word description of him.

The furniture was . . . "weird" is the only possible one-word description.