Dear Old Dad

My dad turned 68 last week. About the same time, he came down with the flu and was in bed for most of the weekend. When I would tell people it was his birthday, they would usually ask how he's been doing. But in reply, I would always leave out the part about him being sick.



Because when you think about it, the word "sick" changes meanings as you get older. When you're a kid, sick just means you've got a sore throat or something. But once you're old, sick becomes much more serious. As in cancer, or emphysema, or Multiple Sclerosis. If I asked someone about their mom and they said, "Mom's sick" I wouldn't think of the flu. I'd assume the worst.



Dad's better now, so you can put away your stationery. But the incident got me to thinking: are there other words whose meanings change as you get older?



The only one I can think of is "single". As a teenager, my girlfriend would have murdered me if she heard me tell someone I was single. But now, as an adult, I'm undoubtedly single until I'm married (or at least engaged). Even if by some bizarre turn of events I could trick someone into being my girlfriend, I'd still be single. There's no box on your tax return for "dating exclusively".



Are there any other words like this? Does this interest anyone?

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