A nigh impossible search
March 26, 2012 11:56 AM Subscribe
What are some words that are most commonly associated with specific others?
For example, "nigh" preceding "impossible." I know I have come across other such examples, but I am stumped to remember them, so list away if you have them.
For example, "nigh" preceding "impossible." I know I have come across other such examples, but I am stumped to remember them, so list away if you have them.
Is there ever beck without a call?
posted by jabberjaw at 12:03 PM on March 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by jabberjaw at 12:03 PM on March 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
"voracious" and "reader." People always say they're voracious readers, rarely voracious-something-else.
posted by Toothless Willy at 12:04 PM on March 26, 2012
posted by Toothless Willy at 12:04 PM on March 26, 2012
Best answer: These are called Collocations.
posted by demiurge at 12:05 PM on March 26, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by demiurge at 12:05 PM on March 26, 2012 [6 favorites]
Well, night and impossible doesn't exactly work, because you see those words apart quite a bit. The time is nigh, for example.
People can be voracious about lots of things, I think.
Sally forth seems to fit the bill, though. My first thought was "insofar as." You see as of course, but you never see insofar without as.
posted by Lutoslawski at 12:06 PM on March 26, 2012
People can be voracious about lots of things, I think.
Sally forth seems to fit the bill, though. My first thought was "insofar as." You see as of course, but you never see insofar without as.
posted by Lutoslawski at 12:06 PM on March 26, 2012
Well, I suppose this is a specific type of collocation, where use of a word is archaic except in the collocation.
posted by demiurge at 12:06 PM on March 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by demiurge at 12:06 PM on March 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
*nigh
posted by Lutoslawski at 12:06 PM on March 26, 2012
posted by Lutoslawski at 12:06 PM on March 26, 2012
flaccid penis?
posted by lizjohn at 12:22 PM on March 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by lizjohn at 12:22 PM on March 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
This question has certainly been asked before. In the process of hunting for it.
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 12:24 PM on March 26, 2012
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 12:24 PM on March 26, 2012
Response by poster: I knew there had to be a term for these. Great examples so far too. Thanks guys.
posted by Mrmuhnrmuh at 12:24 PM on March 26, 2012
posted by Mrmuhnrmuh at 12:24 PM on March 26, 2012
I'm pretty sure you hardly ever hear "abet" outside of "aid and abet."
posted by griphus at 12:24 PM on March 26, 2012
posted by griphus at 12:24 PM on March 26, 2012
I have noticed that if some is doing something profusely, it usually either apologizing or bleeding.
posted by soelo at 12:24 PM on March 26, 2012
posted by soelo at 12:24 PM on March 26, 2012
Alright, not identical, but certainly very similar.
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 12:27 PM on March 26, 2012
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 12:27 PM on March 26, 2012
Heh. I was just thinking about this: does 'brand' ever modify any other adjective than 'new'? Why is something 'brand new' anyway? I'm going to take (or have) a nap now.
posted by trip and a half at 12:29 PM on March 26, 2012
posted by trip and a half at 12:29 PM on March 26, 2012
People hardly ever rue anything aside from the day.
posted by BurntHombre at 1:09 PM on March 26, 2012
posted by BurntHombre at 1:09 PM on March 26, 2012
trip and a half: brand name, brand identity...
To the original question, let me suggest that a recent/developing one is "Peking duck" now that Beijing is the preferred English name for the city.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 1:19 PM on March 26, 2012
To the original question, let me suggest that a recent/developing one is "Peking duck" now that Beijing is the preferred English name for the city.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 1:19 PM on March 26, 2012
Unmitigated gall. Brazen hussy. A knowing look (or wink). Exotic locale.
posted by attercoppe at 1:34 PM on March 26, 2012
posted by attercoppe at 1:34 PM on March 26, 2012
I don't think anyone's ever talked about a nook without also mentioning a cranny.
posted by afx237vi at 1:44 PM on March 26, 2012
posted by afx237vi at 1:44 PM on March 26, 2012
Well, we do have breakfast nooks. Though not lunch or dinner nooks.
posted by craven_morhead at 1:47 PM on March 26, 2012
posted by craven_morhead at 1:47 PM on March 26, 2012
Come now, people:
Seldom do we hear of paradigms that are not shifting. Paradigms do not evolve, alter, turn, switch, or simply change. We don't hear much about paradigms that are stable and unchanging. Paradigms do one thing and one thing only well, and that is shift.
Similarly, there is but one kind of commercialism, right?
Left as an exercise for the reader.
posted by Herodios at 2:42 PM on March 26, 2012
Seldom do we hear of paradigms that are not shifting. Paradigms do not evolve, alter, turn, switch, or simply change. We don't hear much about paradigms that are stable and unchanging. Paradigms do one thing and one thing only well, and that is shift.
Similarly, there is but one kind of commercialism, right?
Left as an exercise for the reader.
posted by Herodios at 2:42 PM on March 26, 2012
WP: An example of a phraseological collocation (from Michael Halliday is the expression strong tea.
That's some pretty weak sauce, innit?
posted by Herodios at 2:47 PM on March 26, 2012
That's some pretty weak sauce, innit?
posted by Herodios at 2:47 PM on March 26, 2012
The only thing that is akimbo is arms.
Apart from legs. So, we could say limbs...
posted by ob at 5:05 PM on March 26, 2012
Apart from legs. So, we could say limbs...
posted by ob at 5:05 PM on March 26, 2012
Run amok.
posted by southern_sky at 7:09 PM on March 26, 2012
posted by southern_sky at 7:09 PM on March 26, 2012
A trifecta: "aging baby boomers"
(Been hearing this since the 1970s. Who ever boomed a baby? Who isn't aging?)
posted by Herodios at 7:37 PM on March 26, 2012
(Been hearing this since the 1970s. Who ever boomed a baby? Who isn't aging?)
posted by Herodios at 7:37 PM on March 26, 2012
"fell swoop" is an interesting one since of course the word "fell" is used as past tense of fall, but the adjective fell is really only ever seen with swoop.
posted by troublesome at 11:08 PM on March 26, 2012
posted by troublesome at 11:08 PM on March 26, 2012
Kith (paired with kin) is one of the classic examples of this but the phrase is kind of archaic now. Similarly (the whole kit and) caboodle.
posted by gubo at 5:30 AM on March 27, 2012
posted by gubo at 5:30 AM on March 27, 2012
troublesome, in "one fell swoop" fell =/= past tense of fall.
Fell, in the sense of the phrase, means terrible or horrible. Same root as "felon"
posted by craven_morhead at 7:55 AM on March 27, 2012
Fell, in the sense of the phrase, means terrible or horrible. Same root as "felon"
posted by craven_morhead at 7:55 AM on March 27, 2012
Agendas are almost always hidden.
posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 11:34 AM on March 27, 2012
posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 11:34 AM on March 27, 2012
Agendas are almost always hidden.
I take it you don't work in the white-collar business world. We tend to have a lot of meetings. They usually have agendas.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 7:29 AM on March 28, 2012
I take it you don't work in the white-collar business world. We tend to have a lot of meetings. They usually have agendas.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 7:29 AM on March 28, 2012
Fell, in the sense of the phrase, means terrible or horrible.
Even limiting it to that sense, I've seen reference to a "fell beast" (usually in a fantasy context) more than once.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 7:31 AM on March 28, 2012
Even limiting it to that sense, I've seen reference to a "fell beast" (usually in a fantasy context) more than once.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 7:31 AM on March 28, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
Is this the sort of thing you're looking for?
posted by gauche at 11:59 AM on March 26, 2012