Words are a basic unit of language, but not necessarily the basic unit of thinking. Sometimes a single concept requires more than one word to name it. We see this quite often with terminology. A ‘heart attack’ is a named thing, that requires two words to name. Some phrases that are two or more words have retained their usefulness long after one of the comprising words has lost its meaning. For example, the phrase “kit and caboodle” has been far more durable than the word “caboodle”. No one would walk into a messy room and tell their teenager to “clean up all this caboodle”. We need a lexicon of words that are in use, but only as part of a bigger phrase. The following are my few nominations to that lexicon, whenever the future linguists get around to writing it:
caboodle: see above
hermetically: Used only in “hermetically sealed”. No one would say “This place is a bit stuffy, I’m looking for an apartment that is a bit more hermetically open.”
Vim: although the phrase “vim and vigor” might be getting on a bit in years, it is still easily understood. However if you were to describe an athlete as “lacking vim” people would have no idea what you meant.
Prodigal: Prodigal is rarely used except to describe a son. The biblical parable of the prodigal son has given us the phrase “the prodigal son returns” which seems to be more commonplace than an understanding of the meaning of the parable. People understandably have come to think that prodigal has something to do with being a prodigy.
Hapless: Helpless and hapless (or occasionally hopeless and hapless) are the common phrases that people understand from context. Next time you want to wish someone good luck on something, wish them hap instead and see how confused they are.
Shrift: Giving someone a short shrift is the only kind of shrift we’ve ever known. What other way could one possibly use the word ‘shrift’?
Pique: This thought experiment really piques my interest, but if I told you that I piqued my finger pretty badly in the workshop earlier you’d wonder what the heck I was talking about.
Wiles - Only ever used in the phrase “feminine wiles” and always plural. If you were duped by a prank and replied that it was a superb wile, your adversary would be understandably confused.
Balsamic - An adjective that describes one specific variety of vinegar and nothing else. Probably a fair amount of ointments and essential oils could be described as balsamic but just aren’t.