# What's with this word? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 11, 2006, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963 "2006-03-11T19:38:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/1 "2006-03-11T19:38:23Z")
I thought of the word “smithereens” today, meaning “little pieces,” as in “The bomb blew him to smithereens.” It’s a strange word: always plural, and always preceded by “to,” and always in relation to some horrific act. You’d never say “There’s a smithereen of paper on the floor.” (I’m tempted to start using it that way.) What other really strange words/usages are there? ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/2 "2006-03-11T20:03:17Z")
Ruthless. You never say (anymore) that somebody is ruthful or only has a little ruth. Moose is slightly odd in that the singula, plural, and collective forms are exactly the same. One moose, two moose, a heard of moose. I have the feeling that there’s another classic example that I should be able to think of at the moment, but it’s not coming to me. (sigh) ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/3 "2006-03-11T20:04:50Z")
Ravel and Cleave can be their own antonyms. ---
**Author:** ![Zetetic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/74df32/32.png) [@Zetetic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zetetic)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/4 "2006-03-11T22:26:23Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > Ruthless. You never say (anymore) that somebody is ruthful or only has a little ruth. Similarly, you’re either over- or under-whelmed, never just whelmed… > [@chrisk](#): > > Moose is slightly odd in that the singula, plural, and collective forms are exactly the same. One moose, two moose, a heard of moose. > I have the feeling that there’s another classic example that I should be able to think of at the moment, but it’s not coming to me. (sigh) Um, _Sheep_ or _Fish_? ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/5 "2006-03-11T22:31:00Z")
> [@mtk\_](#): > > Similarly, you’re either over- or under-whelmed, never just whelmed… > > Um, _Sheep_ or _Fish_? Or deer… ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/6 "2006-03-11T22:47:05Z")
And “inflammable” means the same as “flammable.” ---
**Author:** ![Vlad\_Igor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Vlad\_Igor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vlad_Igor)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/7 "2006-03-11T23:03:02Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > …a heard of moose. Yes, I have heard of moose. I know you were trying to be couth, but I couldn’t help pointing it out. Vlad/Igor ---
**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:** [March 11, 2006, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/8 "2006-03-11T23:03:17Z")
I had to check out the OP, and the online Mirriam Webster Distionary did, indeed, only have smithereens in the plural. Cool. I’ve been collecting words that only exist in the negative, like ruthless, above. My favorite is disgruntled. Gruntled just sounds like someone’s as happy as a pig in slop. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/9 "2006-03-11T23:06:32Z")
> [@mtk\_](#): > > Similarly, you’re either over- or under-whelmed, never just whelmed… > > Um, _Sheep_ or _Fish_? Actually, ‘fishes’ is also correct. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/10 "2006-03-11T23:56:07Z")
> [@mtk\_](#): > > Um, _Sheep_ or _Fish_? > [@Vlad/Igor](#): > > Yes, I have heard of moose. I know you were trying to be couth, but I couldn’t help pointing it out. > > Vlad/Igor Oops. Meant ‘herd of moose’ I guess. (Goes to dictionary website to make sure he’s spelling ‘herd’ correctly, because it looks kinda weird.) And thanks for the other examples of animals like that. I was meaning other common examples of odd word classes that I should have been able to think of. “Overwhelmed”, “inflammable/flammable”, and “disgruntled” are all good ones I’m familiar with and was probably trying to think of. (I think ‘underwhelmed’ is a fairly recent retroconstruction based on ‘overwhelmed’, but I’m not sure.) ---
**Author:** ![Zetetic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/74df32/32.png) [@Zetetic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zetetic)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/11 "2006-03-11T23:56:52Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Actually, ‘fishes’ is also correct. Hey so it is, didn’t know that! However ‘a school of fishes’ just doesn’t seem to scan for some reason… ---
**Author:** ![mrald](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@mrald](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrald)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/12 "2006-03-12T00:03:02Z")
> [@mtk\_](#): > > Similarly, you’re either over- or under-whelmed, never just whelmed… Ahh… 10 Things I Hate About You Fan? ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/13 "2006-03-12T00:03:25Z")
I think only fish swim together in a school – the same _kind_ of fish. There are many kinds of fish – many _fishes_ if you must. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/14 "2006-03-12T00:04:59Z")
“Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea…” – Three Dog Night ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/15 "2006-03-12T00:05:16Z")
> [@mtk\_](#): > > However ‘a school of fishes’ just doesn’t seem to scan for some reason… Maybe so, but if you say ‘Sleeping with the fishes’ you sound like a gangster. However, if you say ‘Sleeping with the fish’ you sound like Troy McClure. ---
**Author:** ![Zetetic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/74df32/32.png) [@Zetetic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zetetic)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/16 "2006-03-12T00:28:23Z")
> [@mrald](#): > > Ahh… 10 Things I Hate About You Fan? Sorry, never seen it. I don’t know where i picked that example from, probably Bill Bryson’s _Mother Tongue_ a few years back. > [@Zoe](#): > > I think only fish swim together in a school – the same kind of fish. There are many kinds of fish – many fishes if you must. 😕 So does ‘fishes’ indicate many of a different kind of fish (singular)? And ‘fish’ (plural) indicate many of the \*\*same \*\*kind of fish (singular)? ---
**Author:** ![Zetetic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/74df32/32.png) [@Zetetic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zetetic)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/17 "2006-03-12T00:29:32Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Maybe so, but if you say ‘Sleeping with the fishes’ you sound like a gangster. However, if you say ‘Sleeping with the fish’ you sound like Troy McClure. You may remember me from such threads as… ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/18 "2006-03-12T00:52:32Z")
> [@mtk\_](#): > > You may remember me from such threads as… [I think I’m going to Chicago for the first time over St. Patrick’s weekend.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=362241) ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/19 "2006-03-12T02:51:11Z")
If you’ll all hold fast for a second, I’ll try to come up with another curious word, fast! ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963/20 "2006-03-12T02:59:01Z")
> [@mtk\_](#): > > So does ‘fishes’ indicate many of a different kind of fish (singular)? And ‘fish’ (plural) indicate many of the \*\*same \*\*kind of fish (singular)? See the **Note on usage: “fish” vs. “fishes”** on [this page](http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Fish) for a clarification. Notice usages of the two plural forms in your reading and listening and you’ll soon realize if the writers/speakers are using the terms correctly. I remember the first time I saw a copy of [this book](http://www.iobabooks.com/books/2736264.html) in a library, and thought that Zim was using a “fake” word. I soon learned that while we ate _fish_ for dinner, there were many food _fishes_ in the world. Besides “smithereens”, another word with limited use is “shebang”. It seems I only ever hear about “the whole shebang”, never “half a shebang” or “just one part of the shebang”. Although adjectives generally precede the nouns they modify (as in \*\*green \*_grass and **pretty** girl) there are exceptions. Some of these deal with quantity (whiskey **galore** , Dudes **Aplenty** _). Others are foreign forms of ordinary English adjectives – for example, a star outfielder can be either an **extraordinary** athlete or a ballplayer **extraordinaire**. \*fans of Conan O’Brien will recognize this reference to the spoof boy band the _Late Night_ host created [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-this-word/347963.md?page=2)