Thursday, January 3, 2008

Venereal Disease

No, no, it's not what you think! ‘Terms of venery’ are an element of the hunting culture of feudal through modern times in Great Britain. It was an indication of good breeding and knowledge to know the special term for a company of animals.

So here are some of the less common collective nouns. Could be an interesting way to spice up your writing! Or just impress people that you actually know stuff like this. (And if you read Ellora's Cave or Cerridwen Press books, you may recognize a few titles!)
Venereal Terms

1. Garland of Druids
2. Shrewdness of apes
3. Trogle of snakes
4. Ostentation of peacocks
5. Siege of herons
6. Watch of nightingales
7. Unkindness of ravens
8. Leap of leopards
9. Troop of kangaroos
10. Clowder of cats
11. Cowardice of curs
12. Cete of badgers
13. Crash of rhinoceroses

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

So if I want to refer to more than one "trouser snake" ...should I use "a trogle of trouser snakes" or would "trouser trogles" be better.

LOLOL!
madison