Quick answer: 10th dentist (informal) — 10th dentist: person who holds an unpopular opinion. Meanwhile, yikes (context-dependent) — yikes: an exclamation of shock and alarm.
1. 10th dentist ↗
Category: Internet essentials
Register: informal
Regions: Online
10th dentist: person who holds an unpopular opinion.
When it fits: Choose this wording when the meaning above fits what you intend to say. Give the reader enough surrounding context to follow the example; if clarity matters more than the shorthand, use the plain-English wording instead.
When to avoid: Avoid assuming that a label reveals somebody’s motives or private behavior. If you are unsure how your words will be understood, explain the situation directly and ask a clarifying question rather than relying on the expression alone.
“During the heated debate, I called him a 10th dentist when he stubbornly defended his fringe theory despite overwhelming evidence.”
In plain English: During the heated debate, I called him a person who holds an unpopular opinion when he stubbornly defended his fringe theory despite overwhelming evidence.
2. yikes ↗
Category: Internet essentials
Register: context-dependent
Regions: Online
yikes: an exclamation of shock and alarm.
When it fits: Choose this wording when the meaning above fits what you intend to say. Give the reader enough surrounding context to follow the example; if clarity matters more than the shorthand, use the plain-English wording instead.
When to avoid: Avoid assuming that a label reveals somebody’s motives or private behavior. If you are unsure how your words will be understood, explain the situation directly and ask a clarifying question rather than relying on the expression alone.
“yikes, I just opened the link and got a virus warning.”
In plain English: an exclamation of shock and alarm, I just opened the link and got a virus warning.
Test both expressions in context
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