PHYSICAL FEATURE THESAURUS

LIPS



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HELPFUL TIP:

Physical features should do more than simply describe how a character looks. Just like their occupation or area of giftedness, a character's appearance can say a great deal about them. Hinting at traits through clothing choices, alluding to an emotional state through movements, and highlighting certain details for comparison or contrast purposes can help readers form opinions on who the character really is.
DESCRIPTORS AND KEY ELEMENTS:
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COMMON ACTIONS AND ALTERNATIVE WORDS TO DENOTE THEM:
Smile: grin, beam, smirk, simper, sneer, twist, upturn, lift, quirk
Frown: grimace, moue, scowl, pout
Flatten: narrow, thin, mash together, disappear, compress, tighten, press
Kiss: smooch, smack, peck, graze, caress, skim, tickle, flick, brush

EMOTIONS AND RELATED GESTURES:
  • People play with their lips quite a bit. When nervousness or uncertainty abound, it's common for people to bite or chew on the lips or rub at them with fingers or a hand. The lips are often pressed together when someone is holding back their true feelings or opinions.
  • Happiness or contentment may be expressed by lips that whistle, hum, or smile.
  • On the other hand, disgust is shown by wrinkling the lips or curling them away from the teeth.
  • Frowning is a common sign of anger, sadness, disappointment, or confusion.

SIMILE AND METAPHOR EXAMPLES:
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CLICHÉS TO AVOID:
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BODY DESCRIPTION NOTES:
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