# Words that only seem to be used in comination with another word(s) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 9, 2000, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-only-seem-to-be-used-in-comination-with-another-word-s/36326 "2000-10-09T23:33:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-only-seem-to-be-used-in-comination-with-another-word-s/36326/61 "2001-08-03T14:24:44Z")
It doesn’t seem that anything is ever just wicky. Except wicks. ---
**Author:** ![easy\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb8c5e/32.png) [@easy\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/easy_e)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-only-seem-to-be-used-in-comination-with-another-word-s/36326/62 "2001-08-03T16:03:14Z")
here are my $.02 short _shrift_ _raring_ to go not a _whit_ out of _kilter_ _kith_ and kin ---
**Author:** ![Ferggie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@Ferggie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferggie)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-only-seem-to-be-used-in-comination-with-another-word-s/36326/63 "2001-08-03T17:41:34Z")
What about fangled? It’s never old-fangled, is it? No, it’s always _new_. New-fangled. Back in my day, there was absolutely nothing wrong with old things being fangled… And as for “irregardless,” I’ll let you live _this_ time…provided you don’t use “entitled” in connection with the name of a book, movie or other work. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-only-seem-to-be-used-in-comination-with-another-word-s/36326/64 "2001-08-03T18:07:27Z")
Use the word “behoove” in a sentence, without “it would…” preceding. I dareya. But then, does anybody beside me ever say “it would behoove us…” anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-only-seem-to-be-used-in-comination-with-another-word-s/36326/65 "2001-08-03T18:22:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Moe \* > \*\*scrimp. > > Does anybody use the word _scrimp_ without following it with _and save_? > \*\* I always use the word _skimp_\*. Am I being gramatically incorrect? What is _penile_ without _implant_. I don’t usually call it a _penile erection_ or penile pleasures. _Quo_ always used with _status_. ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-only-seem-to-be-used-in-comination-with-another-word-s/36326/66 "2001-08-03T18:24:23Z")
I can’t seem to find **categorically** used anywhere, unless some dubious public figure is “categorically denying” some sort of allegation. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-only-seem-to-be-used-in-comination-with-another-word-s/36326/67 "2001-08-03T19:43:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wishbone \* > > _Quo_ always used with _status_. \*\* Well, I’m sure the Romans used _quo_ a lot. But it also survives, in _quid pro quo_ and _Quo Vadis_. ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-only-seem-to-be-used-in-comination-with-another-word-s/36326/68 "2002-11-30T08:59:24Z")
run amok. ---
**Author:** ![Nightime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Nightime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightime)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-only-seem-to-be-used-in-comination-with-another-word-s/36326/69 "2002-11-30T10:12:04Z")
I have never seen the word **nother** except in the phrase **a whole nother**. ---
**Author:** ![bifar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bifar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bifar)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-only-seem-to-be-used-in-comination-with-another-word-s/36326/70 "2002-12-02T16:17:05Z")
Well, that’s not a word, it’s just a contraction of ‘another’. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Gretchen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Miss\_Gretchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Gretchen)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-only-seem-to-be-used-in-comination-with-another-word-s/36326/71 "2002-12-02T18:18:25Z")
Have you ever heard of a “knoll” that wasn’t “grassy”? ---
**Author:** ![zwaldd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a9adbd/32.png) [@zwaldd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwaldd)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-only-seem-to-be-used-in-comination-with-another-word-s/36326/72 "2002-12-02T22:29:48Z")
This came up in Scrabble on the flight back from Thanksgiving with the family: pent. ‘Pent’, while a legitimate word, is never used without ‘up’ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-only-seem-to-be-used-in-comination-with-another-word-s/36326.md?page=3)