Ugly Blog

Collective Nouns

Reading through the inconsistent collective-noun entries in Wikipedia and Wiktionary I was dismayed that we use the same venery term for a group of sharks when they’re at 30 meters as we do when they’re at 18 or even at the surface.

Also, the English language — and every other language — is desperately lacking palindrome-like collectives that swing both ways. For example, we should have “a shiver of sharks” if you swim with sharks at 30 meters, but “a shark of shivers” if you are wracked by a shivering spell while descending from the frenzy of sharks at the surface to the shiver of sharks at 30 meters.

At any rate, here’s my in-progress compiled collection of collectives. Blame them on PADI.

* actors: A troupe of actors
* actors: A cast of actors
* actors: A company of actors
* actors: A pride of actors
* admirals: A bridge of admirals
* academics: A faculty of academics
* alcoholics: A bevy of alcoholics
* alpacas: An inflation of alpacas
* angels: A flight of angels
* angels: A host of angels
* angels: A chorus of angels ?
* angels: A choir of angels
* ants: A colony of ants (standard)
* ants: A bike of ants ?
* ants: A nest of ants
* ants: An army of ants
* antelope: A herd of antelope
* apes: A shrewdness of apes + ?
* apes: A troop of apes (standard).
* asses: A herd of asses (standard)
* asses: A pace of asses ?
* authors: A chapter of authors

* baboons: A flange of baboons. ?
* baboons: A congress of baboons
* baboons: A tribe of baboons
* baboons: A troop of baboons.(standard)
* bacteria: A culture of bacteria.
* badgers: A cete of badgers. + ?
* badgers: A colony of badgers (standard)
* badgers: A minge of badgers
* badgers: A set of badgers
* bananas: A hand of bananas.
* bananas: A bunch of bananas
* barons: A thought of barons
* bastards: A shower of bastards
* bats: A colony of bats – at roost
* bats: A crevice of bats
* bears: A sloth of bears + ?
* bears: A slough of bears
* beauties: A bevy of beauties
* beavers: A colony of beavers
* beavers: A musty of beavers
* beavers: A lodge of beavers
* bears: A sleuth of bears + ?
* bees: A bike of (wild) bees. ?
* bees: A byke of (wild) bees. ?
* bees: A cast of bees (a secondary swarm)
* bees: A cluster of bees (workers around queen).
* bees: A colony of bees
* bees: A drift of bees – in flight ?
* bees: An erst of bees.
* bees: A game of bees.
* bees: A grist of bees.
* bees: A hanover of bees
* bees: A hive of bees. (standard)
* bees: A rabble of bees.
* bees: A stand of bees.
* bees: A swarm of bees – in flight. (standard)
* birds: A flock of birds (standard)
* birds: A flight of birds (standard)
* birds: A pod – small flight – of birds ?
* birds: A fleet of (small) birds +
* birds: A dissimulation of (small) birds +
* birds: A mimsy of birds
* birds: A volary of birds in an aviary.
* bitterns: A boltard of bitterns
* bitterns: A sedge of bitterns. ?
* bitterns: A siege of bitterns. ?
* blackfish: A grind of blackfish
* boar A singularity of (wild) boar.
* boar A sounder of (wild) boar
* bomblets: A cluster of bomblets
* bonobos: A box of bonobos
* books: A library of books
* bother : A spot of bother
* boys: A blush of boys. + ?
* boys: A boister of boys.
* brats: A passel of brats
* boys: A rascal of boys
* bread: A batch of breads
* brumbies: A band of brumbies
* brumbies: A mob of brumbies
* brush (wood): A bavin of brush (wood)
* bucks: A leash of bucks
* buffalo: A filibuster of buffalo
* buffalo: A herd of buffalo
* builders: A lean of builders
* bullets: A shower of bullets
* bullets: A hail of bullets
* bullfinches: A kukpowder of bullfinches
* butterflies: A rabble of butterflies
* butterflies: A rainbow of butterflies
* butterflies: A swarm of butterflies (standard)
* butterflies: A kaleidoscope of butterflies
* butterflies: A flutter of butterflies
* buzzards: A wake of buzzards

* cabbies: A drove of cabbies
* canal lock: A flight of locks
* candidates: A postern of candidates
* capercaillie A tok of capercaillie
* capons A bivouak of capons
* cards: A deck of cards.
* cards: A house of [specially arranged] cards.
* cards: A pack of cards.
* cards: A tower of [specially arranged] cards.
* caribou A herd of caribou
* Catholics: A mass of Catholics
* cats: A clowder of cats. +?
* cats A clutter of cats
* cats: A glaring of cats. +?
* cats: A dowt of cats. +?
* cats: A destruction of wild cats +?
* caterpillars: An army of caterpillars
* cattle: A drove of cattle
* cattle: A kine of cattle
* cattle: A herd of cattle
* chamois: A herd of chamois
* chickens: A brood of chickens
* chickens: A peep of chickens
* chicks: A clout of chicks
* children: A handful of children
* chocoholics: A galaxy of chocoholics
* choughs: A brouhaha of choughs
* choughs: A chattering of choughs. +?
* circuits: A bank of circuits
* clams: A bed of clams
* clowns [derivative]: A bunch of clowns.
* clowns: A nest of clowns.
* clowns: A trunkload of clowns
* cobblers: A drunken ship of cobblers
* cockroaches: An intrusion of cockroaches
* cod: A lap of cod
* consultants: A flange of consultants
* consultants: A prevarication of consultants
* coins: A sack of coins
* coins: A rouleau of coins
* colts: A rag of colts
* colts: A rake of colts
* concretors: A slurrie of concretors.
* convicts: A gang of convicts
* conies: A bury of conies
* coots: A cover of coots
* coots: A covert of coots.
* coots: A daft of coots
* Corgis: A plague of Corgis
* cormorants: A flagon of cormorants
* courtesans: A harem of courtesans
* courtiers: A threatening of courtiers
* cows: A herd of cows
* cows: A merger of cows
* cows: A flink of cows
* coyotes: A pack of coyotes
* cranes: A herd of cranes.
* cranes: A sedge of cranes.
* cranes: A siege of cranes
* crocodiles: A bask of crocodiles
* crows: An alibi of crows
* crows: A hoover of crows
* crows: A murder of crows. +
* cubs: A litter of cubs
* cunts: A shower of cunts
* curlews: A buff of curlews
* curs: A cowardice of curs
* curlews: A cummerbund of curlews
* cyclists: A peloton of cyclists

* dancers: A troupe of dancers
* deer: A department of deer
* deer: A herd of deer
* deer: A hug of deer
* deer: A potpourri of deer
* developers: A sulk of developers
* doctors: A doctrine of doctors ?
* doctors: A field of doctors (standard)
* doctors: A dose of doctors
* documents: A suite of documents
* dogs: A pack of dogs.
* dogs: A kennel of dogs
* dolphins: A school of dolphins
* dolphins: A pod of dolphins
* dolphins: A podule of dolphins
* dotterel: A trip of dotterel
* doves: A piteousness of doves
* doves: A flight of doves
* doves: A dule of doves
* doves: A pitying of doves
* doves: A prettying of doves
* doves: A dole of doves
* dragons: A stumble of dragons
* dragons: A drive of dragons
* dragons: A blaze of dragons
* dragons: A horde of dragons (standard)
* dragons: A nimbus of dragons
* drunks: A stumble of drunks
* drummers: A fagot of drummers
* ducks (diving): A dopping of ducks (diving)
* ducks (flying): A nadger of ducks (flying)
* ducks (on water): A paddling of ducks (on water)
* ducks: A team of ducks
* ducks: A flush of ducks
* ducks: A raft of ducks
* ducks: A fondle of ducks
* dunlin: A merkin of dunlin
* dwarves/dwarfs: A shortage of dwarves/dwarfs

* eagles: An aerie of eagles
* eagles: A conflagration of eagles
* eagles: A convocation of eagles
* eels: A swami of eels
* eels: A stephen of eels
* eggs: A clutch of eggs
* elephants: A herd of elephants.
* elephants: A hero of elephants
* elephants: A paradise of elephants
* elk: A gang of elk
* emo: A clan of emos
* emo: An freakshow of emos
* emo: An unsatisfaction of emos
* employee: A staff of employees
* emu: A mob of emus

* fairies: A herd of fairies
* falcons: A cast of falcons
* farts: A gross of farts
* ferrets: A flagellation of ferrets
* ferrets: A bustier of ferrets
* ferrets: A business of ferrets
* finches: A trembing of finches
* finches: A chain of finches
* finches: A turandot of finches
* finches: A charm of finches.
* finches: A chirm of finches +?
* finches: A flock of finches (standard)
* fish: A draught of fish
* fish: A shoal of fish
* fish: A scale of fish
* fish (drawn, netted or driven): A draft of fish
* fish (caught or cooked): A mess of fish
* fish: A school of fish
* fish: A run of fish (in motion). (standard)
* flamingoes A stand of flamingoes
* flamingoes: A flamboyance of flamingoes
* flies: A business of flies
* flies: A cloud of flies.
* flies: A swarm of flies
* footballers: An eleven of footballers.
* footballers: A squad of footballers.
* footballers: A team of footballers. (standard)
* foxes: A skulk of foxes
* foxes: A leash of foxes
* friars: A scull of friars
* frogs: An army of frogs
* fry: A nursery of fry

* gangsters: A knuckle of gangsters
* geese: (flying) A wedge of geese
* geese: A flock of geese
* geese: A skein of geese
* geese: A nide of geese
* geese: A gaggle of geese. (standard)
* geese: A skein of flying geese. (standard)
* geese: A team of flying geese.
* genes: A bank of genes
* geologists: An outcrop of geologists
* geologists: A formation of geologists
* ghosts: A fright of ghosts
* giraffes: A corps of giraffe
* giraffes: A tower of giraffes
* girls: A giggle of girls
* gnats: A cloud of gnats
* gnats: A clout of gnats
* gnats: A horde of gnats
* gnats: A swarm of gnats
* gnus: A herd of gnus
* gnus: An implausibility of gnus
* goats: A tribe of goats
* goats: A trip of goats
* goats : A drove of goats
* goats : A herd of goats
* goblins: A vomit of goblins
* gods: A pantheon of gods
* gods: A conception of gods
* goldfinches: A drum of goldfinches
* goldfinches: A troubling of goldfinches
* gorillas: A band of gorillas
* gorillas: A woop of gorillas
* goshawks: A flight of goshawks
* grasshoppers: A cloud of grasshoppers
* grasshoppers: A cluster of grasshoppers
* grouse: A broiled beard of grouse
* grouse: A covey of grouse
* grouse: A lek of grouse
* grouse: A pack of grouse
* guillemots: A bazaar of guillemots
* gulls: A colony of gulls
* gulls: A screech of gulls
* gypsies: A band of gypsies

* hackers: A cruft of hackers
* hares: A down of hares
* hares: A husk of hares
* hares: A leap of hares
* hares: A trace of hares
* hares: A trip of hares
* harlots: A heard of harlots
* harpers: A melody of harpers
* hawks: A kettle of hawks
* hawks: A boil of hawks ?
* hawks: A cast of hawks. ? (strictly two let fly).
* hawks: An aerie of hawks. ?
* hedgehogs: An array of hedgehogs
* hedgehogs: A prickle of hedgehogs
* hens: A brood of hens
* herons: A siege of herons
* herring: A shoal of herring
* herring: A glean of herrings
* hippopotamuses: A bloat of hippopotamuses
* hippopotamuses: A crash of hippopotamuses
* hitmen: A magnum of hitmen
* hogs: A drift of hogs
* hogs: A parcel of hogs
* hogs: A passel of hogs
* hoodlums: A gang of hoodlums
* horsemen: A cavalcade of horsemen
* horses: A harass of horses
* horses: A stable of horses
* horses: A taboon of horses
* horses: A team of horses
* hounds: A cry of hounds
* hounds: A mute of hounds
* hounds: A pack of hounds
* hummingbirds: A charm of hummingbirds
* husbands: A multiply of husbands
* hyenas: A clan of hyenas

* idiots: A thicket of idiots
* impediments: A vagary of impediments
* infantry: A creche of infantry
* in-laws: An imposition of in-laws
* insects: A swarm of (various) insects.
* Irish: A thirst of irish.
* jays: A band of jays
* jays: A party of jays
* jays: A scold of jays
* jellyfish: A brood of jellyfish
* jellyfish: A jive of jellyfish.
* jellyfish: A smack of jellyfish
* jellyfish: A swarm of jellyfish (standard)
* jugsaw puzzlers: An assemblage of jigsaw puzzlers
* jugglers: A neverthriving of jugglers

* kangaroos: A mob of kangaroos
* keyboards: A qwerty of keyboards
* kite (bird)s: A brood of kites
* kite (bird)s: A kettle of kites
* kite (bird)s: A roost of kites
* kite (bird)s: A soar of kites
* kite (bird)s: A stooping of kites
* kite (bird)s: A string of kites
* kite (bird)s: An eyrie of kites
* kittens (cats): A kindle of kittens
* kittens (cats:) A smattering of kittens
* kittens: A litter of kittens (standard)
* kittens: A claw of kittens ?
* kittens (rabbits): A wrack of kittens
* kleptomaniacs: A clutch of kleptomaniacs
* knights: A banner of knights
* knights: A rout of knights

* ladies: A bevy of ladies
* lambs: A fall of lambs
* lapwings: A deceit of lapwings
* lapwings: A desert of lapwings
* larks: An ascension of larks
* larks: An exaltation of larks
* lawyers: A huddle of lawyers
* lawyers: A disputation of lawyers
* leaves: A pile of leaves
* leopards: A leap of leopards
* leopards: A spot of leopards
* leopards: A lepe of leopards +?
* lice: A flock of lice +?
* lies: A pack of lies
* lies: A web of lies
* lions: A sault of lions
* lions: A sowse of lions
* lions: A pride of lions
* locusts: A plague of locusts
* lorries: A convoy of lorries

* magpies: A steal of magpies
* magpies: A tiding(s) of magpies
* mallard: A sord of mallard +?
* mallard: A sute of mallard +?
* mallards: A lute of mallards
* managers: A circus of managers
* mares: A stud of mares
* martens: A richness of martens
* martens: A richesse of martens +?
* mathematicians: A tweed of mathematicians
* mathematicians: A number of mathematicians
* matrons: A riches of matrons
* meatheads: A density of meatheds
* mice: A mischief of mice
* midges: A bite of midges
* misers: A horde of misers
* mites: A mite of mites
* moles: A company of moles
* moles: A labour of moles
* moles: A movement of moles
* monitors: A bank of monitors
* monkeys: A circus of monkeys
* monkeys: A mission of monkeys
* monkeys: A tribe of monkeys
* monkeys; A troop of monkeys
* monks: An abomination of monks
* mosquitoes: A scourge of mosquitoes
* mourners: A cortege of mourners
* mudhen: A fleet of mudhen
* muggers: A snatch of muggers
* mules: A barren of mules
* mules: A rake of mules
* munters: A montage of munters

* natives: A tribe of natives
* nightingales: A watch of nightingales
* noobs: A baffle of noobs
* nuns: A superfluity of nuns

* otters: A bevy of otters
* otters: A romp of otters
* owls: A parliament of owls
* owls: A stare of owls
* oxen: A span of oxen
* oxen: A team of oxen
* oysters (young): A set of young oysters

* painters: An illusion of painters
* palm readers: A handful of palm readers
* parents: An embarrassment of parents
* parrots: A company of parrots
* parrots: A pandemonium of parrots
* partridges: A bew of partridges
* partridges: A covey of partridges
* peacocks: A muster of peacocks
* peacocks: A pride of peacocks
* peacocks: An ostentation of peacocks
* Pekingese: A pomp of pekinese
* penguins: A colony of penguins
* penguins: A creche of penguins
* penguins: A huddle of penguins
* penguins: A parcel of penguins
* penguins: A rookery of penguins
* performers: A troupe of performers
* pheasants: A bouquet of pheasants
* pheasants: A covey of pheasants
* pheasants: A nye of pheasants
* physicians: A college of physicians
* pigeons: A kit of pigeons
* pigeons: A loft of pigeons
* pigeons: A kit of pigeons flying together.
* piglets: A farrow of piglets
* piglets: A waltz of piglets
* piglets: A litter of piglets.
* pigs: A drove of pigs
* pigs: A fleet of pigs
* pigs: A herd of pigs in a field or yard.
* pigs: A sounder of pigs (or wild boar) foraging in woodland.
* platypi: A pile of platypi
* plovers: A congregation of plovers
* plovers: A congregation of plovers. +?
* plovers: A stand of plovers.
* plovers: A wing of plovers
* plumbers: A flood of plumbers
* polar bears: An aurora of polar bears
* polecats: A chine of polecats
* politicians: A charm of politicians
* ponies: A string of ponies
* porpoises: A turmoil of porpoises
* porpoises: A herd of porpoises ? .
* porpoises: A pod of porpoises (standard);
* porpoises: A school of porpoises (standard);
* possum: A passel of possum
* poultry: A fillet of poultry
* preachers: A converting of preachers
* preachers: A pontification of preachers
* preachers: A pulpititude of preachers
* prelates: A pontifica of prelates
* pricks: A bunch of pricks
* princes: A state of princes
* professors emeriti: An ex cathedra of professors emeriti
* prostitute: A lust of prostitutes
* prostitutes: An anthology of pros
* puns: A groan of puns
* puppies: A litter of puppies

* quail: A bevy of quail
* quail: A covey of quail
* quail: A bevy of quail (standard)
* quail: A drift of quail.
* quail: A flight of quail (standard)

* raccoons: A gaze of raccoons
* racoons: A nursery of raccoons.
* rapists: A sweat of rapists
* rats: A pack of rats
* rats: A rabble of rats
* rats: A mischief of rats.
* ravens: A conspiracy of ravens
* ravens: An unkindness of ravens
* rhinoceroses: A crash of rhinoceroses
* robots: A cog of robots
* roes: A bevy of roes
* rooks: A building of rooks
* rooks: A clamour of rooks
* rooks: A parliament of rooks ruffs A hill of ruffs
* rooks: A parliament of rooks.

* salmon: A bind of salmon
* salmon: A run of salmon
* sandpipers: A fling of sandpipers
* sasquatches: An impossible of sasquatches
* satellites: A constellation of satellites
* schoolgirls: A giggle of schoolgirls
* scientists: A volume of scientists
* Scots: A disworship of Scots
* sea fowl: A cloud of sea fowl
* sea otter: A raft of sea otters (standard);
* seagulls: A flock of seagulls
* seals: A plum of seals
* seals: A pod of seals
* seals: A spring of seals
* Security Engineers: A scare of Security Engineers
* Security Guards: A doork of Security Guards
* senators: A house of senators
* servants: An obeisance of servants
* sharks: A shiver of sharks
* sheep: A flock of sheep
* sheep: A trip of sheep
* sheldrakes: A doading of sheldrakes
* show dogs: A bench of show dogs
* skeletons: A drudge of skeletons
* smokers: A billow of smokers
* snails: A rout of snails
* snakes: A slither of snakes
* snipe: A walk of snipe
* snipe: A wisp of snipe
* software: A bunch of software;
* sparrows: A host of sparrows
* sparrows: A quarrel of sparrows
* sparrows: A ubiquity of sparrows
* spiders: A cluster of spiders
* spiders: A clutter of spiders
* spoons: A stir of spoons (standard);
* squirrels: A dray of squirrels
* squirrels: A church of squirrels;
* starfish: A galaxy of starfish
* starlets: A galaxy of starlets
* starlets: A cupful of starlets
* starlings: A murmuration of starlings
* stem cells: A swerd of stem cells
* stick insects: A bushel of stick insects
* storks: A muster of storks
* storks: A phalanx of storks
* surfers: A wave of surfers
* swallows: A flight of swallows
* swallows: A gulp of swallows
* swans (flying): A wedge of swans
* swans: A bank of swans
* swans: A bevy of swans
* swans: A gaggle of swans
* swans: A garggle of swans
* swans: A whiteness of swans
* swans: An eyrar of swans
* swine: A drift of wild swine
* swine: A herd of swine (standard);
* swine: A sounder of tame swine
* sycophants: A swarm of sycophants

* tarts: A jam of tarts
* teal: A diving of teal
* teal: A spring of teal
* thieves: A gang of thieves.
* thrushes: A mutation of thrushes
* thugs: A gang of thugs.
* tigers: A streak of tigers
* tigers: An ambush of tigers
* toads: A knot of toads
* tourists: A flock of tourists
* tourists: A pack of tourists
* town criers: A heard of town criers
* trekkies: A dork of trekkies
* troops: A parel of troops
* trout: A hover of trout
* tulis: A chutiya of tulis
* turkeys: A flock of turkeys
* turkeys: A raffle of turkeys
* turkeys: A rafter of turkeys
* turtledoves: A pitying of turtledoves
* turtles: A bale of turtles
* turtles: A dule of turtles
* turtles: A turn of turtles

* unicorns: A blessing of unicorns

* vegetarians: A pod of vegetarians
* vicaries (vicars): A prudence of vicaries

* walruses: A herd of walruses
* walruses: An ugly of walruses
* waiters: An absence of waiters
* wankers: A bolus of wankers
* washing: A load of washing
* waterfowl: A knob of waterfowl
* waterfowl: A plump of waterfowl
* weapons engineers: A brilliance of WEOs
* weasels: A sneak of weasels
* whalers: A gam of whalers.
* whales: A gam of whales
* whales: A herd of whales
* whales: A grind of bottle nosed whales.
* whales: A pod (small school) of whales (standard)
* whales: A school of whales (standard)
* whales: A shard of whales (standard)
* widgeon: A coil of widgeon
* widows: An ambush of widows
* wildfowl: A bunch of wildfowl.
* wildfowl: A knob less than 30 wildfowl.
* wildfowl: A plump of wildfowl
* wildfowl: A trip of wildfowl.
* witches: A coven of witches
* wolves: A rout of wolves
* wolves: A pack of wolves (standard)
* women: A gaggle of women
* woodpeckers: A descent of woodpeckers
* worms: A clew of worms
* worms: A knot of worms

* yeomen: A fellowship of yeomen

* zebra: A dazzle of zebra
* zebra: A herd of zebra
* zebra: A zeal of zebra
* zombie: A horde of zombies
* zombie: A plague of zombies
* zombie: A stench of zombies