Most adjectives can modify a large number of nouns – big house, big deal, big dog, etc. I was thinking about the adjective/adverb ajar. Looking it up, it can actually apply to just about anything that can be opened, but I’ve only heard it to describe the state of a door. Have you ever described a window as ajar? How about your fly? A jar of pickles?
This made me wonder if there are any adjectives or adverbs that modify a sole noun or verb. Can you think of any?
Qwerty?
I think I’m glad that GM did not design clothing during the 1980s:
bing bing bing Your fly is ajar.
bing bing bing Your fly is ajar. Please close your fly.
A window can also be ajar.
But as far as I know, only a gate can be ‘lych’.
Only deeds are ever described as ‘derring.’
Only a spoon is ever ‘runcible’, though that’s kind of cheating since the word was made up by Edward Lear to describe a spoon with short tines one one end – ridiculous!
While not specifically adjectives or adverbs, here is one list of words that are typically tied to another word, although theoretically they don’t have to.
I tried to use the word “impregnate” in Honors English in high school to describe someone getting surgical enhancements and the students thought i was special for doing so.
I just halfway realized this with “monger”.
It really only is used with “War” or “rumor”.
or fish, or fear, or hate, or whore
and fish-sellers.
*Spry *is only ever used to describe old people, and *disgruntled *is only used to describe workers.
Yeah, but can a worker ever be gruntled?
Articulate is only used to describe clean black people.
Points seem to be the only things that are ever moot.
except for moot court, moot argument, etc…
I can’t recall ever hearing anything other than iron being described as wrought.
I have never seen anything rood other than a screen.
ETA: the only construction I’ve ever seen that uses the word kangaroo as an adjective (or adjectival subsitute?) is “kangaroo court”.
::nevermind::
both the Gore-Lieberman and Bush Cheney tickets were described as a kangaroo ticket meaning stronger second halves.
“Dampened” always seems to go with spirits. Alternatively, anytime it rains during some outdoor event, the rain DOESN’T dampen anyone’s spirits. Rain can dampen a lot of things, but one thing it never dampens is spirits.
‘Dampen spirits’ would mean ‘cause sadness’ wouldn’t it?
Dampen means to stifle, smother, deaden, suppress.
So the rain could dampen the ground as well as dampen your spirits.
You can also dampen the sounds of a piano with the damper pedal.
And voters.
Rood mass; rood guild.