I am a woman of many secrets. Secrets piled on secrets like an 7-layer bean dip. Except I don't like bean dip. I am also a woman of many dislikes.
One of my secrets is that I am an aficionado of collective noun phrases.
These little beauties are not used enough in everyday conversation. Then again, that may be a blessing as collective noun phrases should be used with laser-like precision.
The following are a few of my favorites.
abomination of clergy
ambush of widows
ascension of larks
bellowing of bullfinches
blessing of unicorns
bloat of hippopotami
clashing of economists
coalition of cheetahs
congress of baboons
dropping of pigeons
eleven of cricketers
embarrassment of riches
flourish of strumpets
gang of elk
illusion of painters
intrusion of cockroaches
multiply of husbands
pocket of oranges
ponder of philosophers
rhumba of rattlesnakes
scourge of mosquitoes
singular of boars
zeal of zebras
wolfpack of submarines
Twisted minds developed these beauties. Twisted and genius.
I'm going to have to call your bluff on "dropping of pigeons". I refuse to believe that's not some unsuccessful ornithologist's revenge on the profession: "Spite me, eh? Well, let's see who's laughing after I take my pen to the OED." (As a side note: that particular definition does not figure in the OED - at least not the online version - despite Nelson's column at Trafalgar square)
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, I quite like "singular of boars" though.
Oops. That was either supposed to be:
ReplyDelete1. To be fair, I quite like "singular of boars."
or
2. I quite like "singular of boars" though.
...but, clearly, not both. Oh well, I guess I'm excessively fond of tumors of superfluities.
If you're like 7 layer bean dip.... does that mean you only have 7 layers?
ReplyDeleteYannick: I think you're grossly underestimating the pettiness of ornithologists, especially regarding pigeons, who have well-earned their title of "dropping."
ReplyDeleteJason: My layers are innumerable. I used the quantifier "7-layer" so that you may wrap your mind around a small idea of my depth.
"Whoever knows he is deep, strives for clarity;
ReplyDeleteWhoever would like to appear deep to the crowd,
strives for obscurity. For the crowd considers anything deep
if only it cannot see to the bottom: the crowd is so timid
and afraid of going into the water." - Nietzsche
I love bean dip!
ReplyDeleteBean dip loves you!
ReplyDelete