you can't say that word.....

fulcrum - the support or point of support on which a lever turns in raising or moving something

I'm not sure what made me think of this, but I have a friend who used to use the word "fulcrum" to substitute for cursing. He'd hit his thumb with a hammer and say "fulcrum". That kind of thing. Somewhere along the way of almost 20 years of marriage, he had convinced his wife that "fulcrum" was an actual curse word.

So one day our two families were together at either our house or their house, and we had to move a piece of furniture. We were having a hard time with it, so I suggested we get a board and use it as a fulcrum. My friend's wife looked at me and said, "I can't believe you just said that!!!!"

My friend was upset with me for educating his wife on the true definition of a fulcrum.....