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Candy Posted 23 years ago
Grammar

Adjective (hyhenated words)

Can anyone tell me how to use these hyphenated words in the sentences?
Also, what's the difference of them?

white-knuckle
white-knuckled

Both of them are adjective, but the translations for each word are slightly different in my dictionary. How can I distinguish the way to use when I make sentences?

How about these ones?

low-key
low-keyed

Thanks.
  

Top answer

Hi Candy. If I were to use them as adjectives I would probably use the latter of each example. I don't think the hyphens are really necessary, but I may be wrong.

— Mike in Japan

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18 Answers

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Hi Candy. If I were to use them as adjectives I would probably use the latter of each example. I don't think the hyphens are really necessary, but I may be wrong. No doubt others will comment.
Can you give us any examples of the type of sentences you had in mind?
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The rules about hyphenation are not clear. As Mike In Japan said, hyphenation is common in compound adjectives and must take the past participle: heart-broken, broken-hearted, one-legged.

We hyphenate a group of words when used as an adjective. For example:

This truck is out of order. It's an out-of-order truck.
This TV set requieres 220 volts. It's a 220-volt TV set.
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Hi Mike and Raul,
Thanks for your relply Emotion: smile

So, the latter ones of each examples are commonly used?
How about the
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She was so low-key at school that hardly anyone knew who she was.
She was so low-keyed at school that hardly anyone knew who she was.
I think both are O.K. (contrary to what I said earlier). Meaning of course that she was unassuming or not prominent.

Candy, I will need a little time to research this. Keying can also have visual meanings - I think with regard to contrast. Let
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Can you think of a situation when sb would be knucled with terror? I need a contex to understand the meaning of this sentence.
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Maj, clench your fist really really tightly (as one might if one were terrified), then close your eyes really really tightly and look at the colour of your knuckles.
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Hi Mike,

Thank you very much for your help and research on this matter.

There are a lot of hyhenated words, and they often make me confused with the ones without hyphens. They often make diferent meanings.
For example; low key low-key

Oh, by the way, does the word "white-knuckled" mean terrified, frightened, or very scared?
Not terrifying, frightening,
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What do you think could make someone white-knuckled with terror?
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Hi Candy, I suppose if you wanted it to mean scary, you could say "white-knuckling", but it would be a little odd.
Just as a matter of interest, where did you come across this expression? It is not very common in everyday English.
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