"That's a great deal to make one word mean," Alice said in a thoughtful tone. "When I make a word do a lot of work like that," said Humpty Dumpty, "I always pay it extra."

Saturday 10 March 2012

Ructions

 

Ructions is a plural noun (informal) and means a scrap, a fracas, a disturbance or fuss.   It is often used as a means of threatening dire consequences if someone misbehaves...   If you don't do as you're told this moment there'll be ructions.

According to the dictionary it can also be seen as a singular noun, ruction, meaning an uproar; a noisy or quarrelsome disturbance. I'm not sure that I can recall ever hearing it used in the singular.

3 comments:

  1. I think it would lose some of its "oomph" to be used in the singular. Oh, the power of an "s"! I think Clark Kent could attest to that.

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  2. I haven't heard that word for years but it was one Mum and Dad used a lot.

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  3. Is this where the word "ruckus" comes from?

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