--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't say it was \"delightful\"; make us…" description: "\"Don't say it was \"delightful\"; make us say \"delightful\" when we've read the description.\" — C. S. Lewis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/c-s-lewis-2-132_delightful_don-t-say-it-was-delightful-make-us-say_2486836.png" --- # Don't say it was "delightful"; make us say "delightful"… ![“Don't say it was "delightful"; make us say "delightful" when we've read the description.” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/c-s-lewis-2-132_delightful_don-t-say-it-was-delightful-make-us-say_2486836.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/c-s-lewis-2-132_delightful_don-t-say-it-was-delightful-make-us-say_2486836.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/c-s-lewis-2-132_delightful_don-t-say-it-was-delightful-make-us-say_2486836.png) > “Don't say it was "delightful"; make us say "delightful" when we've read the description.” [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes that descriptions should evoke delight, not just label it. **In simple terms:** Make descriptions cause delight. Key Takeaway Craft vivid, evocative language. Themes writing communication emotion Mood creative analytical Type literary instructional When to use this quote - marketing copy - novel writing - teaching - public speaking Key Concepts literature rhetoric perception Questions to Reflect On - How can you make your writing more evocative? - What balance between description and clarity works for you? A Different Perspective Overly ornate language can distract from substance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Delightful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delightful/) [Delightful Ve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delightful-ve-923357/) [Description](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/description/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Make Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-say-923358/) [Read Description](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-description-923356/) [Say Delightful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-delightful-923355/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Don't say it was delightful; make us say delightful when we've read the description. You see, all those words (horrifying, wonderful, hideous, exquisite) are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-say-it-was-delightful-make-us-say-delightful-when-we-ve-read/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ I have never supported white supremacism but I read this \[this description of me\] in the papers. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duke/i-have-never-supported-white-supremacism-but-i-read-this-this/) [David Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duke/) > [I had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalog:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/i-had-a-rose-named-after-me-and-i-was-very-flattered-but-i-was-not/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [“In writing. Don't use adjectives which merely tell us how you want us to feel about the thing you are describing. I mean, instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/in-writing-don-t-use-adjectives-which-merely-tell-us-how-you-want-us/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [Before I put on my make up, I say a little prayer for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dionne-warwick/before-i-put-on-my-make-up-i-say-a-little-prayer-for-you/) [Dionne Warwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dionne-warwick/) > [Even if I want I cannot make you say sorry to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/even-if-i-want-i-cannot-make-you-say-sorry-to-god/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [“Marry me, Zelda. We'll make it all up as we go. What do you say?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-anne-fowler/marry-me-zelda-we-ll-make-it-all-up-as-we-go-what-do-you-say/) [Therese Anne Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-anne-fowler/) > [Oh, babygirl you make me say. Oh oh oh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/oh-babygirl-you-make-me-say-oh-oh-oh/) [Ne-yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [I try to make what I say count.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-buck/i-try-to-make-what-i-say-count/) [Joe Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-buck/) > [Have you ever been with a girl, you had an argument and you wanted to make up with her? As long as you say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rza/have-you-ever-been-with-a-girl-you-had-an-argument-and-you-wanted-to/) [RZA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rza/) > [They always say if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere, but I say that about Cleveland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/they-always-say-if-you-can-make-it-in-new-york-you-can-make-it/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [Life is what you make it not what others say it is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/msunexplainable/life-is-what-you-make-it-not-what-others-say-it-is/) [Msunexplainable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/msunexplainable/) > [“Laugh all you want." "I can laugh all I want." ::pause for effect:: "Did someone here make me say that?" -Kyp and Bombaasa”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-luceno/laugh-all-you-want-i-can-laugh-all-i-want-pause-for-effect-did/) [James Luceno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-luceno/) > [“Make yourself say the words, Gabby, no matter how they sound,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-e-harris/make-yourself-say-the-words-gabby-no-matter-how-they-sound/) [Teresa E. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-e-harris/) > [You cannot say 'no' to the people you love, not often. That's the secret. And then when you do, it has to sound like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-puzo/you-cannot-say-no-to-the-people-you-love-not-often-that-s-the-secret/) [Mario Puzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-puzo/) ## More by C. S. Lewis > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Either Jesus is the Son of God ; or a madman or worse. But His being just a great teacher? He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [To every soul, God will look like its first love because He IS its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/to-every-soul-god-will-look-like-its-first-love-because-he-is-its/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/really-great-moral-teachers-never-do-introduce-new-moralities-it-is/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“When He died in the Wounded World He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/when-he-died-in-the-wounded-world-he-died-not-for-men-but-for-each/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [If a man is going to write on chemistry, he learns chemistry. The same is true of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-a-man-is-going-to-write-on-chemistry-he-learns-chemistry-the-same/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The first fact in the history of Christendom is a number of people who say they have seen the Resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-first-fact-in-the-history-of-christendom-is-a-number-of-people/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I#pray because the need flows out of me all the time-walking and sleeping. It does not change # God - it changes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-pray-because-the-need-flows-out-of-me-all-the-time-walking-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Are the gods not just?' 'Oh no, child. What would become us us if they were?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/are-the-gods-not-just-oh-no-child-what-would-become-us-us-if-they-were/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Love is more than an emotion, it is a decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/love-is-more-than-an-emotion-it-is-a-decision/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Ink is the great cure for all human ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/ink-is-the-great-cure-for-all-human-ills/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [A man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country. He who surrenders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-may-have-to-die-for-our-country-but-no-man-must-in-any/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [War creates no absolutely new situation: it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/war-creates-no-absolutely-new-situation-it-simply-aggravates-the/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) [Explore all 1,190 C. S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## More Delightful quotes > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [In a delightful garden, sowing, planting or digging are not hardship but are done with a zeal and a certain pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/in-a-delightful-garden-sowing-planting-or-digging-are-not-hardship/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“I never met a pig I didn't like. All pigs are intelligent, emotional, and sensitive souls. They all love company. They all crave contact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sy-montgomery/i-never-met-a-pig-i-didn-t-like-all-pigs-are-intelligent-emotional/) [Sy Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sy-montgomery/) > [It is with the approach of winter that cats...wear their richest fur and assume an air of sumptuous and delightful opulence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-loti/it-is-with-the-approach-of-winter-that-cats-wear-their-richest-fur/) [Pierre Loti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-loti/) > [What a delightful thing this perspective is!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-uccello/what-a-delightful-thing-this-perspective-is/) [Paolo Uccello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-uccello/) > [Removing prejudices is, alas! too often removing the boundary of a delightful near prospect in order to let in a shockingly extensive one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-fulke-greville/removing-prejudices-is-alas-too-often-removing-the-boundary-of-a/) [Sir Fulke Greville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-fulke-greville/) > [Someone on the internet referred to me as 'that horrible little man who's replacing Rob Lowe', which is hurtful, because I think of myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-malina/someone-on-the-internet-referred-to-me-as-that-horrible-little-man/) [Joshua Malina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-malina/) > [Once you get yourself on that path where you're willing to find something delightful in laundry and in dishwashers, it means that you train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/once-you-get-yourself-on-that-path-where-you-re-willing-to-find/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [There are magic moments, involving great physical fatigue and intense motor excitement, that produce visions of people known in the past. As I learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/there-are-magic-moments-involving-great-physical-fatigue-and-intense/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [A solitary American monk named Thomas Berry writes that in our relationship to nature, we have been autistic for centuries. Wrapped tightly in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/a-solitary-american-monk-named-thomas-berry-writes-that-in-our/) [Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) > [In the mind engaged in struggling with hardship, one always finds something delightful. The sorrow of disappointment arises in the complacency of satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/in-the-mind-engaged-in-struggling-with-hardship-one-always-finds/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [We are at the moment looking at space as something to be entered by the tremendous thrust of a rocket because that is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/we-are-at-the-moment-looking-at-space-as-something-to-be-entered-by/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [I just adored Peter Medak, the director. He's such a character, but he was so much fun. Some directors come in and they truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-brannagh/i-just-adored-peter-medak-the-director-he-s-such-a-character-but-he/) [Brigid Brannagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-brannagh/) > [The past is so reliable, so delightful and the best place to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/the-past-is-so-reliable-so-delightful-and-the-best-place-to-live/) [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) > [Nature is so delightful and abundant in its variations that among trees of the same kind there would not be found one which nearly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/nature-is-so-delightful-and-abundant-in-its-variations-that-among/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) [Browse all 483 Delightful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delightful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Don't say it was \"delightful\"; make us say \"delightful\" when we've read the description.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "C. 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