Leather List Definitions 2

Decorative Binding -- Using rope or cord to compress or tie a portion of the body where struggle will not cause it to tighten or cut into the submissive.

Discipline -- The application of stimuli which, outside of a scene, would be considered painful. Common discipline techniques are whipping, spanking and strapping.

Dominant -- An individual who accepts the submissive's power and uses it for their mutual pleasure. See Sadist.

Edgeplay -- These are particularly dangerous BDSM activities that are looked upon with some trepidation. Because there is no formal 'ruling body' in BDSM, what is called edgeplay is up to the individual. Therefore, something that to one person might be considered edgeplay might not be edgeplay to another.

Edgeplayer -- A person takes part in edgeplay. Example: "The guy is a real edgeplayer; he's into heavy bloodsports and asphyxia."

Electro-play/Electro-torture -- Using electricity in one or more of its many guises to create intense stimulation during a scene.

Endorphins -- Chemicals similar to opiates created by the body to deal with stress and pain. "Runners High" is due to these. Much of scene play, particularly intense stimulation, is aimed producing the release of endorphins.

English/English Arts -- Spanking and caning.

Erotic Embarrassment -- "Forcing" a submissive to dress, speak or perform acts that he or she actually desires but has been restrained by societal pressures.

Fetish -- In psychological terms, one has a fetish when an article, action or sensation replaces a human being as the primary stimulus for arousal. In the scene, it is more liberally interpreted and often simply means an intense desire for as in "I have a fetish for leather."

Fire Play -- Either caressing another with a flame or creating a burst of flame on his or her body. This can be done quite safely and need not even be slightly painful.

Flogger -- A multitailed whip usually with flat tresses. Generally a thud toy.

Go Word -- A signal by the submissive that everything is all right and you can continue with or increase the present level of stimulation.

Golden Showers -- A humiliation technique where the dominant urinates on the submissive. Consumption of the urine may be part of this scene.

Heavy Play -- Intense but like so much in the scene, subjective. What is heavy play for one is a light warm-up for another.

Humiliation -- In this book, I try to differentiate humiliation from erotic embarrassment. Humiliation is to express hurtful words or force a submissive into acts designed to reduce his or her self-esteem.

Immobilization -- Using rope or other bondage tools to render a submissive relatively helpless despite his or her struggles.

Infantilism -- Roleplay where the submissive partner assumes the behavior and dress of an infant. Pure fantasy as all children are actually nonconsensual dominants.

Knife Play -- Using a knife as part of a scene. Often does not involve cutting, but is used it to gently scratch the surface of the skin, threaten, stimulate.

Lacing -- Connecting temporary piercings with thread or light chain. The piercings may be connected to each other or to a framework.
Masochism -- The ability to derive pleasure from pain. Derives from the writings of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch.

OTK -- Over the knee. A form of spanking.

Pain Slut -- Someone who glories in receiving what most would call intense pain.

Panic Snap -- A linking device used with cable and chain that allows two lengths to be disconnected even when there is tension in the system. A safety device.