--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Just the word beautiful was seductive…" description: "\"“Just the word beautiful was seductive - but what did it really mean? Beauty was a soft word that ached with possibility, pliant as dough. You could no..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89b/elizabeth-brundage-24756_beauty_just-the-word-beautiful-was-seductive-bu_2794830.jpg" --- # Just the word beautiful was seductive - but what did it… ![“Just the word beautiful was seductive - but what did it really mean? Beauty was a soft word that ached with possibility, pliant as dough. You could not presume to define it, she realized, because the very idea of beauty and all it represented was a subjective thing - in the eye of the beholder…” quote by Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89b/elizabeth-brundage-24756_beauty_just-the-word-beautiful-was-seductive-bu_2794830.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89b/elizabeth-brundage-24756_beauty_just-the-word-beautiful-was-seductive-bu_2794830.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89b/elizabeth-brundage-24756_beauty_just-the-word-beautiful-was-seductive-bu_2794830.jpg) > ““Just the word beautiful was seductive - but what did it really mean? Beauty was a soft word that ached with possibility, pliant as dough. You could not presume to define it, she realized, because the very idea of beauty and all it represented was a subjective thing - in the eye of the beholder - but that wasn't really true anymore.”” [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Beauty is portrayed as an elusive, subjective concept that resists precise definition, highlighting its fluid nature. **In simple terms:** Beauty is hard to define. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about beauty. Themes beauty subjectivity definition Mood contemplative analytical Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - art critique - fashion industry - personal relationships - media analysis Key Concepts aesthetic philosophy social construct Questions to Reflect On - What shapes your idea of beauty? - Is beauty truly in the eye of the beholder? A Different Perspective Beauty can be manipulated by cultural norms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Beauty Represented](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty-represented-3405381/) [Beauty Soft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty-soft-3405382/) [Seductive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seductive/) [Soft Word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soft-word-2587148/) [Word Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-beautiful-695228/) ## Related quotes > [“Soft you; a word or two before you go. I have done the state some service, and they know't.— No more of that.—I pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/soft-you-a-word-or-two-before-you-go-i-have-done-the-state-some/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A soft word pacifies anger, and the discordant words break the harmony of the cosmic diapason, and generate disorders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samael-aun-weor/a-soft-word-pacifies-anger-and-the-discordant-words-break-the-harmony/) [Samael Aun Weor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samael-aun-weor/) > [When people hear the word “beautiful”, they expect something to be pretty. And for me that's not always necessarily the case, y'know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-molko/when-people-hear-the-word-beautiful-they-expect-something-to-be/) [Brian Molko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-molko/) > [ We all have our tastes and our type...\[But\] for me to say 'You're beautiful', I can only say that to my girlfriend. The word… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/we-all-have-our-tastes-and-our-type-but-for-me-to-say-you-re/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [“It wasn't just that he was a good kisser (he was), it was everything. The way his fingers clung to mine like I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-bach/it-wasn-t-just-that-he-was-a-good-kisser-he-was-it-was-everything-the/) [Rachel Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-bach/) > [“She said the word 'beautiful' as if beauty was a bad habit Bolu had developed, something bordering on criminal behavior for which she would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ay-b-mi-ad-b-y/she-said-the-word-beautiful-as-if-beauty-was-a-bad-habit-bolu-had/) [Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ay-b-mi-ad-b-y/) > [“When we first met, his face broke into a full-out smile. Not one of those polite smiles you give a stranger on the street.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-heller/when-we-first-met-his-face-broke-into-a-full-out-smile-not-one-of/) [Elizabeth Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-heller/) > [“He laughs with relief. “Yes.” The word yes is so much more beautiful coming from his mouth, laced with that voice. He could probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/he-laughs-with-relief-yes-the-word-yes-is-so-much-more-beautiful/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [For me to say 'You're beautiful', I can only say that to my girlfriend. The word 'beautiful' has such a different caliber than any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/for-me-to-say-you-re-beautiful-i-can-only-say-that-to-my-girlfriend/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [“And perhaps it didn't matter to them, not always, what they read aloud; it was the breath of life flowing between them, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eudora-welty/and-perhaps-it-didn-t-matter-to-them-not-always-what-they-read-aloud/) [Eudora Welty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eudora-welty/) > [“I'd used the word "beautiful" to describe another boy. I knew how it must have sounded to her. I also knew that it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-dermont/i-d-used-the-word-beautiful-to-describe-another-boy-i-knew-how-it/) [Amber Dermont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-dermont/) > [“Bre was something of beauty. Her hair, wispy around her face, brown fading into a deep shade of mauve framed her strong features. Eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria/bre-was-something-of-beauty-her-hair-wispy-around-her-face-brown/) [Victoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria/) > [The word beautiful has nothing to do with the word skinny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-word-beautiful-has-nothing-to-do-with-the-word-skinny/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Ô, Wanderess, Wanderess When did you feel your most euphoric kiss? Was I the source of your greatest bliss?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/wanderess-wanderess-when-did-you-feel-your-most-euphoric-kiss-was-i/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“He hit her with his best smile. Her eyes widened. She took a deep breath. 'Oh no, not that seductive face. I'm overcome with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-hit-her-with-his-best-smile-her-eyes-widened-she-took-a-deep/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) ## More by Elizabeth Brundage > [“People just want to be happy, she thought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/people-just-want-to-be-happy-she-thought/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“His life in general had been a neatly wrapped package of lies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/his-life-in-general-had-been-a-neatly-wrapped-package-of-lies/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“Attraction is composed of desire and danger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/attraction-is-composed-of-desire-and-danger/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“Adults make mistakes too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/adults-make-mistakes-too/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“He wanted to dig a hole and put the past inside it and cover it back up again. He didn't know if flowers would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/he-wanted-to-dig-a-hole-and-put-the-past-inside-it-and-cover-it-back/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“I often ask the question: Is it impossible to have a simple life? The world is not simple, Claire said. The world is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/i-often-ask-the-question-is-it-impossible-to-have-a-simple-life-the/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“There was the dream of happiness and then there was what was real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/there-was-the-dream-of-happiness-and-then-there-was-what-was-real/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“Let me tell you about love. Love is a kind of madness and you would follow it anywhere, you don't care.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/let-me-tell-you-about-love-love-is-a-kind-of-madness-and-you-would/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“As corny as it sounds, Gallagher said, life is very long. You're supposed to mess up when you're young and other people sometimes benefit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/as-corny-as-it-sounds-gallagher-said-life-is-very-long-you-re/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“Too many choices, that's the problem. Sometimes you get to a point, you know?" She looked at his face. His eyes seemed distant. "What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/too-many-choices-that-s-the-problem-sometimes-you-get-to-a-point-you/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“She cried and he held her and he cried too. He didn't think that either could say what they were crying about, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/she-cried-and-he-held-her-and-he-cried-too-he-didn-t-think-that/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“It was early still, the sky white, nude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/it-was-early-still-the-sky-white-nude/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“She said most people were good on the inside, where it mattered. You have to give them a chance to show their goodness, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/she-said-most-people-were-good-on-the-inside-where-it-mattered-you/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“Things didn't really go away. You just learned to push them deeper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/things-didn-t-really-go-away-you-just-learned-to-push-them-deeper/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“In situations of crisis, it was always best to rely on routine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/in-situations-of-crisis-it-was-always-best-to-rely-on-routine/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) [Explore all 24 Elizabeth Brundage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) ## More Beauty quotes > [We do not want nowadays temples of worship and outward rites and ceremonies. What we really want is an Asram. We want a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/we-do-not-want-nowadays-temples-of-worship-and-outward-rites-and/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [To fathom the power, to witness the beauty, to bathe in the fountain, to swing on the spiral of our divinity, and still be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tool/to-fathom-the-power-to-witness-the-beauty-to-bathe-in-the-fountain-to/) [Tool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tool/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [“We've all met people who are beautiful on the outside, however, when they open their mouths to speak, they have nothing of substance to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/we-ve-all-met-people-who-are-beautiful-on-the-outside-however-when/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [“do not misunderstand person by beauty You really do not know its real or Mask on dirty thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/do-not-misunderstand-person-by-beauty-you-really-do-not-know-its-real/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [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/) > [Call her beautiful a million times and she won't believe you. Call her ugly once, and she will never forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tumblr/call-her-beautiful-a-million-times-and-she-won-t-believe-you-call-her/) [Tumblr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tumblr/) > [Time can but make her beauty over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/time-can-but-make-her-beauty-over-again/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/what-about-you-what-do-you-do-i-needed-to-ask-questions-draw-him-out/) [Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/) [Browse all 24,662 Beauty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Just the word beautiful was seductive - but what did it really mean? Beauty was a soft word that ached with possibility, pliant as dough. 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