# Adjectives that modify only one noun? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 1, 2009, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjectives-that-modify-only-one-noun/519618 "2009-12-01T19:56:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjectives-that-modify-only-one-noun/519618/81 "2016-06-10T02:05:58Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > If I say “happily,” I’ll bet the first thing you think of is “married.” > > (Okay, not a noun, but it’s all I got.) > [@Riemann](#): > > I think “ensconced”. But I’m divorced & pretentious, so it probably doesn’t count. Ah ha! But you feel the need to mention your divorce, so I think we know what your real first thought was. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjectives-that-modify-only-one-noun/519618/82 "2016-06-10T02:53:49Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > And coster. Who would mong us our costers if we didn’t have costermongers? Albertsons does a fine job of mongering costers where I am. I might be late to this one, but wrought aluminum certainly exists. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjectives-that-modify-only-one-noun/519618/83 "2016-06-10T04:47:29Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > I have never seen anything rood other than a screen. _Rood_ is a noun, not an adjective. It’s an more-or-less obsolete word meaning “cross”. The rood in a medieval church was a big cross or crucifix in the area between the chancel and the nave. Anything in that area could have rood- attached to it. Such as a (palindromical) rood-door or a rood loft. > [@cjepson](#): > > AFAIK, toves are the only things that are slithy. And bandersnatchi are the only frumious things around. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjectives-that-modify-only-one-noun/519618/84 "2016-06-10T15:55:03Z")
Gonzo as an adjective seems these days only to go with journalist, and even that applies to only one person. Are there even any other gonzo journalists than Hunter S Thompson? It’s like it’s one word: gonzojournalisthuntersthompson. That’s his full name. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjectives-that-modify-only-one-noun/519618/85 "2016-06-10T16:48:08Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Gonzo as an adjective seems these days only to go with journalist, and even that applies to only one person. > > Are there even any other gonzo journalists than Hunter S Thompson? It’s like it’s one word: gonzojournalisthuntersthompson. That’s his full name. You know that _thing_ the internet is for, other than cat videos? If I have been set up here, a friend told me this. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjectives-that-modify-only-one-noun/519618/86 "2016-06-10T17:28:41Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > [The Wayback Machine has it.](http://web.archive.org/web/20060314025351/http://www.gruts.com/misc/akimbos/akimbos.htm) . . . > [@Riemann](#): > > I think “ensconced”. But I’m divorced & pretentious, so it probably doesn’t count. Thanks - that’s extensive. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2016, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjectives-that-modify-only-one-noun/519618/87 "2016-06-11T23:39:01Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Are there even any other gonzo journalists than Hunter S Thompson? It seems almost a law for reporters wanting to emulate Hunter S. Thompson to move to Thailand, where they try to re-create his lifestyle with gusto. Gets a bit tedious, especially now that there are so many of them. ---
**Author:** ![marking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4da419/32.png) [@marking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marking)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjectives-that-modify-only-one-noun/519618/88 "2016-06-13T00:21:42Z")
Interesting question and discussion. I have an “on-topic-hijack” Is there any kind of barrow other than a wheelbarrow? Thanks for your consideration ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjectives-that-modify-only-one-noun/519618/89 "2016-06-13T00:39:44Z")
> [@marking](#): > > Interesting question and discussion. > I have an “on-topic-hijack” > Is there any kind of barrow other than a wheelbarrow? > Thanks for your consideration There’s Barrow, Alaska. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjectives-that-modify-only-one-noun/519618/90 "2016-06-13T01:30:33Z")
> [@marking](#): > > Interesting question and discussion. > I have an “on-topic-hijack” > Is there any kind of barrow other than a wheelbarrow? > Thanks for your consideration There’s a handbarrow: ```auto From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Handbarrow \Hand"bar`row\ (h[a^]nd"b[a^]r`r[-o]), n. A frame or barrow, without a wheel, carried by hand. [1913 Webster] From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: handbarrow n 1: a rectangular frame with handles at both ends; carried by two people ``` ---
**Author:** ![Goofus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7feea3/32.png) [@Goofus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goofus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2016, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjectives-that-modify-only-one-noun/519618/91 "2016-06-14T12:12:24Z")
Supreme only seems to paired with leader and taco. ---
**Author:** ![emulsified](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emulsified/32/2915_2.png) [@emulsified](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emulsified)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2016, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjectives-that-modify-only-one-noun/519618/92 "2016-06-14T14:02:47Z")
Supreme being ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2016, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjectives-that-modify-only-one-noun/519618/93 "2016-06-14T16:49:35Z")
> [@emulsified](#): > > Supreme being Supreme court Supreme leader Supreme authority > [@Wallaby](#): > > Probably. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjectives-that-modify-only-one-noun/519618/94 "2016-06-14T16:54:18Z")
AFAIK, only knots could be described as “Gordian.” Only chambers could be hyperbaric. Only surgery could be bariatric. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2016, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjectives-that-modify-only-one-noun/519618/95 "2016-06-14T23:12:57Z")
> [@Scribble](#): > > AFAIK, only knots could be described as “Gordian.” > > Only chambers could be hyperbaric. > > Only surgery could be bariatric. Gordian worm bariatric physician bariatric patient bariatric procedure bariatric therapy bariatric diet hyperbaric medicine hyperbaric therapy hyperbaric technician hyperbaric welding [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjectives-that-modify-only-one-noun/519618.md?page=4)