Deep wisdom from ‘Through the Looking Glass’

"Read the directions and directly you will be directed in the right direction."

"... you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!"

"Take care of the sounds and the sense will take care of itself."

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Collective Nouns



Collective Nouns

One of the craziest oddities of the English language is that there are so many different collective nouns that all mean "group" but which are specific to what particular thing there is a group of: a herd of elephants, a crowd of people, a box of crayons, a pad of paper, etc. There is great diversity of collective nouns associated with animals, from a sleuth of bears to a murder of crows. The following is a list of the correct terms to describe groups of various types of animals.

Collective Name
Animal
herdofantelope
armyofants
colonyofants
swarmofants
shrewdnessofapes
flangeofbaboons
congressofbaboons
tribeofbaboons
cultureofbacteria
ceteofbadgers
colonyofbadgers
sleuthofbears
slothofbears
packofbears (polar bears)
colonyofbeavers
lodgeofbeavers
flightofbees
gristofbees
hiveofbees
swarmofbees
congregationofbirds
dissimulationofbirds
flightofbirds
flockofbirds
voleryofbirds
sedgeofbitterns
siegeofbitterns
herdofboar
singularofboar
sounderofboar
chainofbobolinks
braceofbucks
clashofbucks
herdofbuffalo
rabbleofbutterflies
swarmofbutterflies
wakeofbuzzards
flockofcamels
armyofcaterpillars
clowderofcats
clutterofcats
glaringofcats
pounceofcats
doutofcats (house cats)
nuisanceofcats (house cats)
kendleofcats (kittens)
kindleofcats (kittens)
litterofcats (kittens)
destructionofcats (wild cats)
droveofcattle
herdofcattle
kineofcattle
teamofcattle
yokeofcattle (two)
herdofchamois
broodofchickens
flockofchickens
peepofchickens
broodofchicks
chatteringofchicks
clutchofchicks
cartloadofchimpanzees
herdofchinchillas
bedofclams
quiverofcobras
ragofcolts
rakeofcolts
buryofconies
coverofcoots
flightofcormorants
bandofcoyotes
sedgeofcranes
siegeofcranes
congregationofcrocodiles
floatofcrocodiles
storytellingofcrows
murderofcrows
herdofdeer
leashofdeer
parcelofdeer
bevyofdeer (roe deer)
kennelofdogs
packofdogs
litterofdogs (puppies)
podofdolphins
droveofdonkeys
herdofdonkeys
paceofdonkeys
tripofdotterel
bevyofdoves
coteofdoves
doleofdoves
duleofdoves
flightofdoves
piteousnessofdoves
flightofdragons
weyrofdragons
wingofdragons
braceofducks
flockofducks
flushofducks
paddlingofducks
raftofducks
teamofducks
aerieofeagles
convocationofeagles
swarmofeels
herdofelephants
memoryofelephants
paradeofelephants
gangofelk
herdofelk
mobofemus
businessofferrets
castofferrets
fesnyingofferrets
charmoffinches
catchoffish
hauloffish
runoffish
schooloffish
shoaloffish
swarmofflies
leadoffoxes
leashoffoxes
skulkoffoxes
armyoffrogs
colonyoffrogs
knotoffrogs
flockofgeese
gaggleofgeese
skeinofgeese (in flight)
wedgeofgeese (flying in a 'V')
hordeofgerbils
corpsofgiraffes
herdofgiraffes
towerofgiraffes
cloudofgnats
hordeofgnats
swarmofgnats
herdofgnus
implausibilityofgnus
droveofgoats
herdofgoats
tribeofgoats
tripofgoats
charmofgoldfinches
glintofgoldfish
bandofgorillas
skeinofgoslings
leashofgreyhounds
coveyofgrouse
packofgrouse
colonyofgulls
groupofguinea pigs
hordeofhamsters
droveofhares
downofhares
huskofhares
leashofhares
traceofhares
tripofhares
warrenofhares
aerieofhawks
castofhawks
kettleofhawks
arrayofhedgehogs
prickleofhedgehogs
broodofhens
hedgeofherons
sedgeofherons
siegeofherons
shoalofherrings
crashofhippopotami
herdofhippopotami
bloatofhippopotami
driftofhogs
parcelofhogs
passelofhogs
nestofhornets
harrasofhorses
herdofhorses
stableofhorses
teamofhorses
troopofhorses
Collective Name
Animal
cryofhounds
muteofhounds
packofhounds
charmofhummingbirds
clanofhyenas
bandofjays
partyofjays
scoldofjays
smackofjellyfish
herdofkangaroos
mobofkangaroos
troopofkangaroos
deceitoflapwings
ascensionoflarks
exaltationoflarks
leapofleopards
leepofleopards
lepeofleopards
prideoflions
saultoflions
sowseoflions
troopoflions
loungeoflizards
herdofllamas
plagueoflocusts
tidingsofmagpies
sordofmallards
studofmares
richnessofmartens
hordeofmice
mischiefofmice
nestofmice
companyofmoles
laborofmoles
movementofmoles
cartloadofmonkeys
tribeofmonkeys
troopofmonkeys
troupofmonkeys
herdofmoose
barrenofmules
packofmules
rakeofmules
spanofmules
watchofnightingales
bevyofotter
familyofotter
raftofotter
rompofotter
parliamentofowls
droveofoxen
herdofoxen
spanofoxen
teamofoxen
yokeofoxen (two)
bedofoysters
companyofparrots
coveyofpartridges
musterofpeacocks
ostentationofpeacocks
colonyofpenguins
crècheofpenguins
huddleofpenguins
parcelofpenguins
rookeryofpenguins
nestofpheasants
nideofpheasants (on the ground)
nyeofpheasants (on the ground)
bouquetofpheasants (when flushed)
flightofpigeons
flockofpigeons
droveofpigs
herdofpigs
litterofpigs
farrowofpigs (piglets)
sounderofpigs (wild pigs)
shoalofpilchards
congregationofplovers
wingofplovers
chineofpolecats
stringofponies
podofporpoises
schoolofporpoises
passelofpossum
coterieofprairie dogs
bevyofquail
coveyofquail
buryofrabbits
colonyofrabbits
downofrabbits
droveofrabbits
huskofrabbits
leashofrabbits
traceofrabbits
tripofrabbits
warrenofrabbits
nestofrabbits (young)
wrackofrabbits (young)
gazeofraccoons
nurseryofraccoons
colonyofrats
hordeofrats
mischiefofrats
packofrats
plagueofrats
swarmofrats
rhumbaofrattlesnakes
storytellingofravens
unkindnessofravens
crashofrhinocerouses
buildingofrooks
clamorofrooks
storytellingofrooks
runofsalmon
schoolofsalmon
shoalofsalmon
bobofseals
colonyofseals
crashofseals
haremofseals
herdofseals
podofseals
rookeryofseals
springofseals
teamofseals
schoolofshark
shiverofshark
downofsheep
droveofsheep
flockofsheep
foldofsheep
hurtleofsheep
tripofsheep
bedofsnakes
denofsnakes
nestofsnakes
pitofsnakes
walkofsnipes
wispofsnipes
hostofsparrows
drayofsquirrels
scurryofsquirrels
murmurationofstarlings
musterofstorks
musteringofstorks
flightofswallows
bevyofswans
herdofswans
wedgeofswans (flying in a 'V')
flockofswifts
driftofswine
sounderofswine
springofteals
ambushoftigers
streakoftigers
knotoftoads
hoveroftrout
flockofturkeys
broodofturkeys (immature)
baleofturtles
generationofvipers
nestofvipers
colonyofvultures
mobofwallabees
herdofwalruses
podofwalruses
packofweasels
sneakofweasels
gamofwhales
herdofwhales
podofwhales
schoolofwhales
plumpofwildfowl
herdofwolves
packofwolves
routofwolves
routeofwolves
warrenofwombats
fallofwoodcocks
descentofwoodpeckers
herdofyaks
herdofzebras
zealofzebras









(taken from)

another link

still another one (dictionary.com)










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