If you modify or correct something, could you also list it here, so I can edit the database. If anyone wants the db, just email me (address is on my personal page). It's currently only 200K in size.
Please list candidates here. If you can find a dictionary reference for it, please say so. Many collective nouns are obscure and archaic - hence a citation from any (respectable) dictionary will be deemed to validate the term.
If you know the term is spurious, then say so. I have no problem listing spurious nouns, so long as they are clearly marked as such. Things like "a clutch of mechanics" have humour value, even if illegitimate. - MMGB
Nice one, Manning, I wish I'd thought of doing this! I'll put some more up for the collection, and many thanks for your help with this. sjc
- shelfful of books - carpet of flowers - drift of snow - stack of papers, cards - arsenal of weapons - hail of bullets - coil of stamps - tissue of lies - circle of friends - trail of tears - growth of trees - series of games - hand of cards - pack of cards - can of worms - I think this only refers to a problematic situation, and is not a collective term for worms
Oh bugger. - MMGB
Sorry, really I am. :-) --LMS
Always assume the list isn't complete. - MMGB
- drift of snow - isn't this singular?
Wouldn't that exclusion also apply to:
- anthology of prose - heap of trash - slew of homework - wad of money
hmmm... fair comment. - MMGB
I've got a list I've had lying around on my hard drive for quite a while, which was based off of information in Paul Hellweg's "Insomniac's Dictionary." Rather than check the existing lists and cull out duplicates, though, I figured I'd let you do all the hard work for me with your fancy-dancy database. :)
Paul has a whole whack of references at the back of his book, but doesn't specify which ones these came out of. Still, the book seems well-researched, so perhaps it counts as a suitable reference on its own.
(long list deleted, one by one...) Every single item you listed was already included, except for the one listed below. I'm waiting for opinions as to what to do with this one.
Wolves Route - currently listed as "rout". couldn't find a citation for "route"