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It sounds like they will be waiting but they'll never quite finish.

Adorn atop shoulders they will define me, break me and finish me.

I can be deadly, creative or destructive.

I get speared through the middle but it's more helpful than harmful.

I am a mark of new beginnings and can be a sign of rebirth.

What am I?

Hint (Update):

The first and seconds lines are one clue but must be done bit by bit one before the other.

Second Hint:

Lines 1+2 give a clue to the word structure and 3-5 for what the word is.

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    $\begingroup$ Instant ^vote with a note: Any hint is worth waiting a day. If nothing else, it will reintroduce this puzzle. $\endgroup$
    – humn
    Commented Jul 25, 2017 at 9:41
  • $\begingroup$ The title makes me think of plate margins, but that doesn't seem to fit $\endgroup$
    – Beastly Gerbil
    Commented Jul 25, 2017 at 9:50

16 Answers 16

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my answer

A Mountain

It sounds like they will be waiting but they'll never quite finish.

Adorn atop shoulders they will define me, break me and finish me.

Strewn across the landscape atop the world's cities

I can be deadly, creative or destructive.

landslides, terraces

I get speared through the middle but it's more helpful than harmful.

tunnels! (one of the best arguments for a mountain!)

I am a mark of new beginnings and can be a sign of rebirth.

the ever changing landscape- mountains arise and extend toward the heavens

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  • $\begingroup$ Speared through middle line makes most sense on this post but I regretfully have to say this guess is also wrong! $\endgroup$
    – BMS21
    Commented Jul 25, 2017 at 19:56
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Okay, I had to answer another puzzle so I could earn the rep to attempt this protected one, so here goes... apologies if my explanations are excessive... it's a habit I learned on EL&U...

An ellipsis. Using the Merriam-Webster definition: marks or a mark (such as … ) indicating an omission (as of words) or a pause

It sounds like they will be waiting but they'll never quite finish.

Ending a sentence abruptly with an ellipsis makes it seem like you're not finished, and it can leave people waiting... [for more]

Adorn atop shoulders they will define me, break me and finish me.

An ellipsis can occur at the beginning, middle, or end of a quotation, indicating where words have been removed from that quote. To me, "adorn atop shoulders" sounds like a phrase that is encapsulated by ellipses; That is, a phrase with an ellipsis before and after it, which defines the context, breaks up the quote, and completes the phrase as delivered.

I can be deadly, creative or destructive.

Removing words from a sentence can change its meaning entirely. It can totally remove relevant context and change the meaning of the quote (deadly), it can draw attention to certain portions of a text in a helpful way (creative), or it can harm the original intent of the text (destructive).

I get speared through the middle but it's more helpful than harmful.

An ellipsis in the middle of a sentence can make a long quote more succinct and readable, which is helpful, but it does involve spearing the sentence through the middle.

I am a mark of new beginnings and can be a sign of rebirth.

By now I'm seeing this get pretty literal. I am a mark fits quite well with an ellipsis, which is literally a kind of linguistic mark, and it can indicate a new beginning or the restarting of a quote where it was left off.

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  • $\begingroup$ Its good thought but unfortunately is incorrect. I guessing you've tried to have a go without using the latest hint! $\endgroup$
    – BMS21
    Commented Aug 11, 2017 at 7:57
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Are they

ideas (in human brain) ?!

It sounds like they will be waiting but they'll never quite finish.

ideas try to be coming out of mind forever occurring

Adorn atop shoulders they will define me, break me and finish me.

On the shouldders it is head and brain is inside head. Breaking a head and thereby brain (Along with ideas) can be 'finish'ed.

I can be deadly, creative or destructive.

An idea (and so a brain) can be deadly, creative (can cause lakes to appear, valley to be made) and they can be destructive well !

I get speared through the middle but its more helpful then harmful.

A split personality, for example!

I am a mark of new begins and can be a sign of rebirth.

Usually a bright idea is considered as a sign of new begin / rebirth !!

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  • $\begingroup$ Its nice try but not what I was thinking $\endgroup$
    – BMS21
    Commented Jul 25, 2017 at 9:53
  • $\begingroup$ Not sure all people would call a split personality helpful XD, Sorry to say this isn't right either. $\endgroup$
    – BMS21
    Commented Jul 25, 2017 at 10:13
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This answer is not yet finished!

However, I do think it might be

A loop

It sounds like they will be waiting but they'll never quite finish.
Adorn atop shoulders they will define me, break me and finish me.

You can program a loop, break out of it, and end the program. However, an infinite loop will never quite finish.

I can be deadly, creative or destructive.

Deadly: a noose. Creative: ? Destructive: black hole?

I get speared through the middle but it's more helpful than harmful.

???

I am a mark of new beginnings and can be a sign of rebirth.

Circles and loops are often signs of rebirth, a never ending cycle

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  • $\begingroup$ Nice thought, creative could be another programming based idea as loops are often used to generate arrays or such. Sadly this is also incorrect $\endgroup$
    – BMS21
    Commented Jul 25, 2017 at 15:11
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This answer doesn´t fit 100%, but who cares, give it a try.

A hammer

It sounds like they will be waiting but they'll never quite finish. Adorn atop shoulders they will define me, break me and finish me.

Not sure how to fix this in the answer

I can be deadly, creative or destructive.

A hammer can be used to create, kill or destroy.

I get speared through the middle but it's more helpful than harmful.

If it´s speared through the middle vertically, it creates a larger handle, so it´s easier to hit farther and heavier.

I am a mark of new beginnings and can be a sign of rebirth.

Was a revolutionary tool in prehistoric ages, and sometimes it could be associated with renaissance or revolution. So maybe, maaaaaaybe, it's a sign of rebirth.

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    $\begingroup$ Afraid its not correct but it probs the closest answer yet! $\endgroup$
    – BMS21
    Commented Jul 25, 2017 at 21:11
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My original answer, told to be incorrect

psyche: id, ego, super-ego

Figured i take another try at this one, but still think im wrong but i really want to see someone answer this. So i'll go with

cells

I'm not quite sure how it fits into the first two lines given what the hint says they are for, but it definitely seems like it could fit the last three

I can be deadly, creative or destructive.

Cells can be deadly (form viruses bacteria etc.) creative (making more cells, harbouring life and what not) and destructive (again things like viruses, cells attacking other cells)

I get speared through the middle but it's more helpful than harmful.

Though they arent "speared" they do split to create new cells

I am a mark of new beginnings and can be a sign of rebirth.

new cells could be the start of a new life

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  • $\begingroup$ Interesting idea, I like the idea but unfortunately its nowhere near the correct answer XD $\endgroup$
    – BMS21
    Commented Jul 25, 2017 at 14:46
  • $\begingroup$ @BMS21 Hmm looking at this again the very last line sounds like a phoenix but nothing else really seems to match with that except getting speared would just rebirth it. $\endgroup$
    – Brisingr
    Commented Jul 25, 2017 at 17:35
  • $\begingroup$ Nice thought but again I have to say its incorrect! $\endgroup$
    – BMS21
    Commented Aug 1, 2017 at 14:01
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Is it...

A ring? (Yes, this is pretty close to "a loop", but could be interpreted differently)

It sounds like they will be waiting but they'll never quite finish.

they will be waiting -> delay, they'll never quite finish -> relay, relay that you don't finish -> "r-" (bit of a stretch)

Adorn atop shoulders they will define me, break me and finish me.

A king is adorned atop his shoulders with a cape? Possibly a crown? Don't know how to finish this one...

I can be deadly, creative or destructive.

Deadly/Destructive: Ring of Fire, Creative: ...?

I get speared through the middle but it's more helpful than harmful.

Speared through the middle by a finger, but it provides support

I am a mark of new beginnings and can be a sign of rebirth.

New beginnings -> marriage, and rebirth is the circle of life.

This could use some touching up, maybe by someone wiser than me.

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  • $\begingroup$ You could say it creates a new bond! However this is incorrect sorry! $\endgroup$
    – BMS21
    Commented Aug 2, 2017 at 7:39
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    $\begingroup$ this was a good answer! $\endgroup$
    – Brisingr
    Commented Aug 2, 2017 at 21:09
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My answer:

A Diamond or Diamonds

It sounds like they will be waiting but they'll never quite finish.

Adorn atop shoulders they will define me, break me and finish me.

Diamonds never finish forming, we could leave them in the ground and they'd only get larger and larger as time passes along. Diamonds often adorn ears, necks, heads (all of which are atop shoulders), but before they are able they must first be defined (e.g. measured), broken (e.g. cut), and polished (e.g. finish me)

I can be deadly, creative or destructive.

Blood Diamonds are the cause of much death and destruction. Jewelry can often be unique and creative in its designs. Diamond-tipped cutting tools such as saws and drills can be used in either creative or destructive enterprises as well.

I get speared through the middle but it's more helpful than harmful.

Speared is the only sticky point in this riddle, though I'm hoping it was used for grammatical purposes. Diamonds are often cut via saw or laser in current times, but prior were cut with "cleavers" so cleaved would have been a much better fit. As for the helpful nature of splitting a diamond; very large diamonds can be worth more after being broken into smaller diamonds due to flaws often found within them, such as the Cullinan diamond.

I am a mark of new beginnings and can be a sign of rebirth.

Diamonds are often found in wedding bands which are symbolic of new beginnings. A diamond is also the birthstone for April which may tie into the rebirth portion of this line.

I'd feel more confident of my answer if speared weren't used, but there are enough similarities here to venture this as a guess.

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  • $\begingroup$ Nice try but unforntunately this is incorrect! $\endgroup$
    – BMS21
    Commented Oct 23, 2017 at 9:48
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"Momentum".

Sounds like they'll be waiting, but never quite finish.

"Moment---um---".

Adorn atop shoulders, they define me, break me, finish me.

Starts with "m," broken by "m," finished by "m."

I can be deadly, creative, or destructive.

Deadly and destructive are obvious. Creative I have no clear idea.

I get speared through the middle but it's more helpful than harmful.

The force Vector is drawn through the center of a mass . . .

I can be a sign of new beginnings and a mark of rebirth.

Big Bang? All momentum hits/encounters zero (immovable) momentum = birth of universe

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  • $\begingroup$ Its a goos thought but this is also incorrect! $\endgroup$
    – BMS21
    Commented Oct 23, 2017 at 9:50
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My answer:

Feathers

It sounds like they will be waiting but they'll never quite finish.
Adorn atop shoulders they will define me, break me and finish me.

(Not sure about the first sentance, because feathers stop growing at some point.)
Feathers are adorn atop a bird's shoulders.
Humans will take the feathers from birds and use (finish) them.

I can be deadly, creative or destructive.

Deadly: Part of a bird, which can kill or part of an arrow, which can kill.
Creative: Feathers can be used be humans to draw art.
Destructive: Feathers can also be used to draw plans for weapons like bombs.

I get speared through the middle but it's more helpful than harmful.

The Feather is held together by it's center tube (quill).

I am a mark of new beginnings and can be a sign of rebirth.

A Feather is associated with birds, flight, seeing the world from above, discovering new things.
The white dove from Noah's ark is a symbol of rebirth.

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    $\begingroup$ Nice idea however not correct. It doesn't quite fit for the first point however I like the other explanations. $\endgroup$
    – BMS21
    Commented Jul 26, 2017 at 7:59
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Is it

Lightning (that strikes from skies !)

It sounds like they will be waiting but they'll never quite finish.

A lightning is continuous in the sense that it has a preamble, happening and fade away ... but the process of lightning is continuous acrross the globe at any given point of time (as per established facts!)

Adorn atop shoulders they will define me, break me and finish me.

To be provided ...

I can be deadly, creative or destructive.

A lightning strike can be deadly and destructuive. It can be constructive in forming N2O (Nitrous Oxide, a Chemical compound), which forms at that temperature & presssure combination only, which is an excellent natual fertilizer for growing crops.

I get speared through the middle but it's more helpful than harmful.

For trees it is more helpful in burning the barks (when a lightning earths through the trunk, it travels on the outer surface, that is bark), which are usually infested with insects.

I am a mark of new beginnings and can be a sign of rebirth.

Usually lightning symbols is used to show a 'spark' / ignition /'brilliant idea' that starts a new thing!

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  • $\begingroup$ Nice idea but again unfortunately is incorrectly $\endgroup$
    – BMS21
    Commented Jul 26, 2017 at 14:06
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Doesn't feel like a perfect fit, but I like how this relates to some of the clues...

Answer:

Helix

It sounds like they will be waiting but they'll never quite finish.

Helix sounds like "he'll ex..." without finishing "...pect"

Adorn atop shoulders they will define me, break me and finish me.

Atop shoulders makes me think of 'shoulders of giants', and science. This relates to the discovery of DNA - a structure that was defined, a code that was broken, and finished... as in fully sequenced?

I can be deadly, creative or destructive.

Again DNA - obviously creative, but can also harbour fatal conditions.

I get speared through the middle but it's more helpful than harmful.

The double helix is speared through the middle to link the two helices.

I am a mark of new beginnings and can be a sign of rebirth.

Spring! (as well as reproduction)

PS. Hi from a newbie! Thanks for compelling me to answer.

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  • $\begingroup$ Glad that my puzzle could drag you in to this weird and wonderful world. However I have to now inform you that while a good idea it is the wrong answer! $\endgroup$
    – BMS21
    Commented Jul 26, 2017 at 21:03
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I've been thinking about this for a while but I still have no idea what the first 2 lines are about, so this is going to be partial answer.

Is it

A book chapter

I can be deadly, creative or destructive.

Content of the chapter. It can be creative, deadly(a character dying etc.) or destructive(a war, for example)

I get speared through the middle but it's more helpful than harmful.

A book mark literally "spears" the chapter through the the middle, but it is helpful to remember what page you were on.

I am a mark of new beginnings and can be a sign of rebirth.

"A new chapter in life"

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  • $\begingroup$ Nice thought but its wrong sorry! $\endgroup$
    – BMS21
    Commented Jul 31, 2017 at 10:28
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It is

Bubble coming out of a pond / water body

It sounds like they will be waiting but they'll never quite finish.

Bubbles, which are formed naturally (in a geyser, for example)sound like they would wait (to come out) but they never stop

Adorn atop shoulders they will define me, break me and finish me.

On the plain/calm surface of a lake / water body they break the calmness /serenity

I can be deadly, creative or destructive.

Bubbles, can be deadly (depending on the context, size, made up of etc.) and hence they can be destructive as well. Also they can be creative (as bubbles can be made in different sizes and shapes, colors etc.)

I get speared through the middle but it's more helpful than harmful.

Certain types of bubbles can be pierced through their middle but that is for a more research/constructuve/entertaining purpose rather than doing any harm

I am a mark of new beginnings and can be a sign of rebirth.

Usually, new ideas / thoughts are represented by 'floating bubbles'.

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  • $\begingroup$ Sorry this is incorrect aswell. $\endgroup$
    – BMS21
    Commented Jul 31, 2017 at 12:26
  • $\begingroup$ You have three separate answers posted on this question, all confirmed by OP to be incorrect. You maybe should edit an existing incorrect guess instead of adding new ones, with a note about the previous guess(es) being incorrect so that information isn't lost? $\endgroup$
    – Rubio ♦
    Commented Jul 31, 2017 at 17:05
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Is it

fish

It sounds like they will be waiting but they'll never quite finish.

Finish is close to fish (missing ni)

Adorn atop shoulders they will define me, break me and finish me.

I can be deadly, creative or destructive.

Not too sure (although Albert Fish certainly counts as deadly and destructive)

I get speared through the middle but it's more helpful than harmful.

Spear-fishing

I am a mark of new beginnings and can be a sign of rebirth.

Fish denotes born-again Christians

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Is it:

Faith/Religion

I didn't quite understand the additional hints about word structure :/ Anyway here's my explanation

It sounds like they will be waiting but they'll never quite finish. Adorn atop shoulders they will define me, break me and finish me.

Hints at it being intangible, and how with the advancements in Science one could expect to see a decline - and yet it never really happens. People 'wear' their faith, are defined by it, and in extreme cases give their life to it.

I can be deadly, creative or destructive.

Everything done in the name of religion/faith really...

I get speared through the middle but it's more helpful than harmful.

JC got speared, instead of ending anything it ended up giving a major boost to christianism.

I am a mark of new beginnings and can be a sign of rebirth.

Could be a number of hope related events/scenarios/happenings, related to faith and religion

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  • $\begingroup$ A nice idea but unfortunately incorrect. Im beginning to think I may have made this one far too contrived! $\endgroup$
    – BMS21
    Commented Dec 6, 2017 at 12:48

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