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chained_bear has added 21,019 words, 254 lists, 15,958 comments, and 10,481 tags.

Compounds That Look Freakish

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You know who you are, freakish compounds. Though very useful, some of these words just don't seem right together--or, their meanings are so far from what the two (or more) component words suggest that it is patently unfair to non-native English speakers (which, at some point in our lives, is everyone). It just ain't fittin'.
Words 1 through 100 of 168 (view all)   next >

wizjug   has been listed 1 time with 14 comments

frogmarch   has been listed 12 times with 3 comments

porknut   has been listed 3 times with 1 comment

daggerboard   has been listed 3 times with 1 comment

lancetfish   has been listed 2 times with 1 comment

sackbut   has been listed 16 times with 0 comments

cowpoke   has been listed 3 times with 1 comment

gangplank   has been listed 8 times with 0 comments

cupboard   has been listed 14 times with 0 comments

nutmeat   has been listed 6 times with 0 comments

thumbtack   has been listed 2 times with 0 comments

footpad   has been listed 11 times with 4 comments

skybald   has been listed 6 times with 6 comments

dogsbody   has been listed 16 times with 1 comment

wolfsbane   has been listed 6 times with 0 comments

foolscap   has been listed 14 times with 7 comments

freakish   has been listed 2 times with 0 comments

streetcar   has been listed 6 times with 11 comments

gainsay   has been listed 29 times with 0 comments

forestomach   has been listed 1 time with 0 comments

spatchcock   has been listed 24 times with 1 comment

ribcage   has been listed 6 times with 21 comments

switchgrass   has been listed 4 times with 1 comment

taillight   has been listed 1 time with 1 comment

mandate   has been listed 5 times with 0 comments

youtube   has been listed 8 times with 0 comments

sheepshank   has been listed 4 times with 1 comment

shipbuilding   has been listed 1 time with 0 comments

upbraid   has been listed 26 times with 0 comments

frigatebird   has been listed 4 times with 0 comments

windlass   has been listed 11 times with 0 comments

saltpeter   has been listed 12 times with 2 comments

wrestplank   has been listed 2 times with 1 comment

claymore   has been listed 19 times with 0 comments

chokedamp   has been listed 6 times with 0 comments

lickspigot   has been listed 7 times with 4 comments

chokecherry   has been listed 9 times with 0 comments

bladdernut   has been listed 2 times with 3 comments

thereof   has been listed 6 times with 0 comments

pantywaist   has been listed 8 times with 1 comment

frolicsome   has been listed 16 times with 3 comments

freeball   has been listed 4 times with 4 comments

leeward   has been listed 12 times with 2 comments

bonebed   has been listed 1 time with 0 comments

graphjam   has been listed 1 time with 3 comments

carpool   has been listed 2 times with 0 comments

turnspit   has been listed 4 times with 3 comments

hornwork   has been listed 2 times with 1 comment

freestone   has been listed 3 times with 2 comments

quidnunc   has been listed 57 times with 4 comments

scrapyard   has been listed 4 times with 1 comment

overmorrow   has been listed 3 times with 2 comments

pumpernickel   has been listed 40 times with 8 comments

spasmglow   has been listed 3 times with 3 comments

gunmetal   has been listed 11 times with 0 comments

codpiece   has been listed 17 times with 4 comments

lovecop   has been listed 4 times with 1 comment

donkeyman   has been listed 4 times with 2 comments

screwdriver   has been listed 7 times with 0 comments

behindhand   has been listed 5 times with 0 comments

dungbomb   has been listed 2 times with 0 comments

beebalm   has been listed 3 times with 1 comment

watermelon   has been listed 18 times with 0 comments

didjibodhrán   has been listed 2 times with 1 comment

nipplefruit   has been listed 6 times with 12 comments

eelpout   has been listed 7 times with 6 comments

skewbald   has been listed 6 times with 2 comments

rampike   has been listed 7 times with 1 comment

backstaff   has been listed 2 times with 1 comment

blacklight   has been listed 3 times with 4 comments

fireweed   has been listed 4 times with 3 comments

evensong   has been listed 12 times with 4 comments

whaleship   has been listed 1 time with 0 comments

whaleboat   has been listed 1 time with 1 comment

keelhaul   has been listed 22 times with 4 comments

marplot   has been listed 7 times with 3 comments

tweendecks   has been listed 1 time with 1 comment

longshanks   has been listed 7 times with 3 comments

deadrise   has been listed 3 times with 2 comments

nosegay   has been listed 27 times with 3 comments

pantyhose   has been listed 9 times with 13 comments

cornhole   has been listed 1 time with 7 comments

cartridge   has been listed 6 times with 1 comment

hamstring   has been listed 5 times with 1 comment

billingsgate   has been listed 15 times with 4 comments

comeuppance   has been listed 37 times with 10 comments

claptrap   has been listed 36 times with 5 comments

squeezebox   has been listed 12 times with 0 comments

coxcomb   has been listed 46 times with 3 comments

quakebuttock   has been listed 12 times with 1 comment

riprap   has been listed 5 times with 1 comment

monkfish   has been listed 6 times with 0 comments

headquarters   has been listed 5 times with 0 comments

hindquarters   has been listed 3 times with 1 comment

hemlock   has been listed 26 times with 1 comment

panpipe   has been listed 2 times with 0 comments

hornbook   has been listed 3 times with 0 comments

scofflaw   has been listed 19 times with 1 comment

hedgehog   has been listed 27 times with 17 comments

proofread   has been listed 5 times with 8 comments

Words 1 through 100 of 168 (view all)   next >
comments for this list
(add comments for specific words on the word pages themselves)
3 months ago reesetee said:

Well, I think, but it's your list. :-)

3 months ago chained_bear said:

You think...? I guess so. Also added all these others. Thanks!

3 months ago reesetee said:

How about thumbtack?

7 months ago mollusque said:

Forestomach.

10 months ago whichbe said:

gangplank

about 1 year ago mollusque said:

Cheerled.

about 1 year ago dharma66 said:

try cupboard

about 1 year ago whichbe said:

piebald

about 1 year ago zuccaciyecioglu said:

nutmeat

about 1 year ago chained_bear said:

Ooh, good one! Thanks whichbe!

about 1 year ago whichbe said:

carpool?

about 1 year ago whichbe said:

pumpernickel

about 1 year ago yarb said:

How have I missed this? I love these freakazoid words. I submit my first ever word*, donkeyman.

*listed on Wordie, that is.

about 1 year ago whichbe said:

screwdriver

over 2 years ago reesetee said:

Point taken! :-D

over 2 years ago uselessness said:

Yes, I need a hobby. But I'm not the only one.

over 2 years ago reesetee said:

u? Um...I think you may need a hobby. ;-)

over 2 years ago uselessness said:

Is it just me, or does every word (compound or not) start to look freakish when isolated from context and stared at intently? To further the effect, say the word aloud over and over again, changing your tone and inflection randomly each time.

over 2 years ago chained_bear said:

Thanks, sionnach. It's not just words that you can't tell the meaning of, it's words that also look freakish. Hence the inclusion of what are undeniably freakish-looking words: monkfish, catbird, and bullfinch. Point taken, though--the second word in the compound does suggest the object in question in those cases.

over 2 years ago sionnach said:

I'd have a minor quibble about including words like monkfish, catbird, or bullfinch because, no matter how incongruous the pairing, one already knows the class of critters one is dealing with from the second word alone. But that's just me. There are some excellent words on this list - I especially liked shindig and sideburns. Great list!

over 2 years ago reesetee said:

I agree. These are classics. :-)

How 'bout claptrap?

over 2 years ago palooka said:

Great idea for a list!

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