The hyphen is a punctuation mark used to join words and to separate syllables of a single word. Hyphens are mostly used to break single words into parts or to join ordinarily separate words into single words. The use of hyphens is called hyphenation.
The hyphen is sometimes confused with dashes like these:
- figure dash [ ‒ ]
- en dash [ – ]
- em dash [ — ]
- horizontal bar [ ― ]
- minus sign [ - ]
Dashes are longer and have different uses. The minus sign is also longer but more vertically centered in typefaces.
LEXICAL LISTICLE
Apple-polish: to curry favor in a flattering manner.
Argy-bargy: a vigorous discussion or debate.
Arsy-varsey: completely backward.
Cap-a-pie: from head to foot.
Candy-floss: cotton candy
Cater-cousin: an intimate friend
Dipsy-doodle: quick dipping sliding move made by football players to evade tackle.
Fiddle-footed: restless wandering
Gally-bagger - a gadabout or mindless wanderer
Gibble-gabble: senseless chatter.
Green-collar: environmental projects and jobs.
Harum-scarum: reckless, rash or irresponsible.
Heart-whole: not in love.
Heebie-jeebies: a condition of extreme worrying; the “willies”
Helter-skelter: haste, confusion or disorder.
Hibber-jibber: gibberish
Holus-bolus: all at once.
Hotsy-totsy: about as right as can be; perfect.
Higgledy-piggledy: jumbled and confused.
Hocus-pocus: actions of magicians, magic words spoken when bringing about some sort of change. It was once a common term for a magician, juggler, or other similar entertainers.
Hoity-toity: marked by an air of self importance
Holy-writ: a writing of unquestionable authority.
Janus-faced: two contrasting aspects.
Jiggery-pokery: trickery, fraud or humbug
Lardy-dardy: excessive elegance.
Lickety-split: rapidly
Lotus-eater: a daydreamer.
Mbuki-mvuki: to shed one’s clothing and dance with joy.
- Untranslatable word from the Bantu language in the Niger-Congo region of Africa.
Mealy-mouthed: avoiding direct communication.
Mind-pop: a word, phrase or image that pops up in the mind suddenly.
Namby-pamby: lacking in character, moral or emotional strength.
Nice-nellyism: a euphemism.
Palsy-walsy: intimate or friendly.
Passé-partout: a universal means of passage.
Pepper-upper: an energy drink or pill.
Purse-pound: proud of one’s wealth; showy.
Rabble-rouser: a person who riled up the passions or prejudices of the public -usually for their own self interests.
Razzle-dazzle: flashy and theatrical.
Savoir-faire: knowledge of what to do in any circumstances; tact
Single-hearted: sincere.
Silver-tongued: persuasive and eloquent
Skimble-scamble: rambling, confused or nonsensical words.
Tickety-boo: fine, ok.
Toodle-oo: goodbye, so long.
Tussie-mussie: small bouquet of flowers or herbs.
Wing-ding: a noisy celebration or party