- The cowardness of curs was unable to stop the destruction of cats.
If you happened to sleep through your English classes, collective nouns are words used to describe groups of things. And modern English has some pretty weird ones.
A murder of crows, a family of sardines, a horde of hamsters… Who comes up with these?
But strange as modern collective nouns are, things haven’t changed much over the years. It turns out that English has always had a penchant for bizarre group names.
Dr. Maurice Hooks decided to browse through ancient dictionaries and look into collective nouns used in late Medieval English of the 1400s. And sure enough, there are some doozies in there.
Here’s a collection of our favorite strange and funny collective nouns used in ye olden days.
1. A City of Badgers
Badgers in medieval times must’ve been more civilized than the beasts of today. After all, they were able to form cities.
It makes more sense, though, when you consider that the word “city” referred also to the badger’s burrow. That would be its city, wouldn’t it?
2. A Thong of Barons
Now this “thong” couldn’t possibly mean the same thing as it does today. Let’s see here…
“Thonge — a strip of material.”
Huh, it kind of does. Wonder which would be more intimidating to encounter, a thong of barons or a baron’s thong.
3. A Fighting of Beggars
Dr. Hooks doesn’t give any explanation on why the word “fighting” was used to describe a group of beggars. We just have to assume that medieval beggars were prone to brawling.
4. A Rascal of Boys
A rascal of boys seems like a fitting term. But while today we might call a rambunctious boy a rascal, in Medieval English a rascal was a company of soldiers or a mob.
Still pretty fitting, if you ask us.
5. A Cluster of Cats (Tame)
There’s no special meaning here. A cluster of cats just sounds funny. Really rolls off the tongue.
In all honesty, we listed this here just to contrast it with what a group of wild cats is called. Speaking of which…
6. A Destruction of Cats (Wild)
Yeah. Dr. Hooks notes that using the word “destruction” for a group of wild cats is a “logical and reasonable extension of definition.”
The wild cats of ancient England were pretty nasty, huh?
7. An Intoxication of Cobblers
Now, in all honesty, the original medieval source doesn’t use the word “intoxication” for a group of cobbles. Instead, the word is “dronkship” — which means intoxication.
The old English cobblers must’ve liked a stiff drink, and then another to wash it down.
8. An Incredibility of Cuckolds
The word “cuckold” derives from the Old French word for cuckoo bird, but it meant — as it does today — the husband of an unfaithful wife. Whoever wrote the book this term comes from must’ve found it pretty incredible that such men would band together.
9. A Cowardness of Curs
Today, a cur is a misbehaving dog, but in medieval England, it was a watchdog. But those watchdogs can’t have been very good at their jobs if a group of them was called a cowardness.
10. A Herd of Harlots
Dr. Hooks’ sourcebooks use the word “herd” to describe groups of many things. One of those things is harlots.
Now, herds of harlots weren’t necessarily made up of prostitutes in old England. The word could also refer to male vagabonds and beggars.
11. A Laughter of Hostelers
The innkeepers of 15th-century England must’ve been a jolly bunch. It’s kind of refreshing to see these people use a word that isn’t horribly disparaging for a change.
12. A Worthlessness of Jugglers
Well, so much for not being disparaging. Jugglers, that is bards or minstrels, clearly weren’t held in very high esteem in medieval England.
The word used in the old texts isn’t exactly “worthlessness,” though. Instead, it’s “neuer-thryvyng,” as in never-thriving — or ne’er-do-well, if you will.
13. A Rage of Maidens
Hell hath no fury like a maiden scorned. And if those maidens decide to team up, it’ll take a real man to face that rage.
14. An Abominable Sight of Monks
This phrase comes from the Book of Saint Albans, printed in 1486 and credited to Juliana Berners, the prioress of the Priory of St. Mary of Sopwell. Sister Juliana clearly didn’t think very much of her male monastic fellows.
15. A Proud Showing of Tailors
Ah, tailors — what an upstanding bunch! Wherever they go, it’s always a proud showing.
Or not. There’s also another word used for groups of tailors — a disguising. Guess that makes sense since they make clothes.
16. A Non-Patience of Wives
Sister Juliana didn’t like monks, and she apparently didn’t have a high opinion of married women, either. At least, that’s what her choice of word for calling a group of wives seems to indicate.
You know, maybe Sister Juliana could’ve been a little less judgmental.
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