It is hyphenated in American English. Quotation Marks. But even in the U.K., this is more an option than a rule. John: And I for one will never stand for this kind of encroachment on my rights again! So what was the aftermath of The 40 Year-Old Virgin debacle? In most cases, you can ignore it. To the careful reader, He is a wild animal trainer does mean that “He is an animal trainer who is wild.”, On the other hand, He is a wild-animal trainer clearly means “He is a trainer of wild animals.”. What does well said expression mean? The only difference is the hyphen. A lot of writers—even professionals—think hyphens and dashes are the same things. Some might also believe that only compounded adjectives would be hyphenated: bluish-green eyes. Definition of well said in the Idioms Dictionary. Compare these terms: The first refers to door controls that are automatic. This website uses cookies to improve service and provide tailored ads. By using this site, you agree to this use. The word well-being is a compound noun. Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. It seems to be that that is always hyphenated. For example, friendly, as in a friendly-looking group of people, is an adjective, so the compound modifier needs a hyphen. For example, you normally wouldn’t write ice-cream cone or high-school student, but you wouldn't be wrong if you did. [5] Not hyphenating -ly adverbs has been an evolving trend in English writing. Compound verbs (also known as phrasal verbs) are verbs with prepositions. Titles of Books, Plays, Articles, etc. Some are single words (closed): backup, closeout, startup, and takeoff. If you’re not sure if a word is open, closed, or hyphenated, check one of the references in footnote [2] or a good dictionary. Mary: Well said! [4] There’s that damn usually again. Charles Darwin, in his On the Origin of Species (1859), hyphenated around 50 -ly adverbs. Clarifications: “He is an animal trainer who is wild.” “He is a trainer of wild animals.” I think there is no way to clarify with punctuation the original sentence. After thousands of irate people around the world took to the streets to protest the missing hyphen [11], Universal Studios immediately … did nothing. 2) I find him (well versed / well-versed) in Shakespearean drama. An equally slippery subject is whether to hyphenate well when it helps describe a noun. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. Adding the hyphen clarifies: little-known man tells us he is one few people know. The posters and billboards were already on display, and several thousand prints of the movie had been made. If a three-or-more-word compound modifier includes an -ly adverb, then the entire compound modifier, including the -ly adverb, gets hyphenated (e.g., widely-read-but-often-ignored hyphenation advice). The most thorough coverage of hyphenation, with excellent lists of hyphenated words, is in The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition and June Casagrande’s The best punctuation book, period. : Underline? As long as we choose a style and stick to it, our usage will help sustain our writing rather than distract from it. For example, if you write hollow metal door or stainless steel fastener, few readers will be confused. That is a good example of the importance of proper hyphen placement. What would you say? The point is, some people were upset and let the studio know it. Posted on Tuesday, April 3, 2018, at 11:00 pm. Compound nouns, unfortunately, have no rules. Other style hawks assert that certain compounds with well should retain their hyphens in all positions because they are single concepts or standard expressions. They aren’t. Some are separate words (open): curtain wall, architect of record, decision making, word of mouth, rule of thumb, and problem solving. 3) She is always (well prepared / well-prepared) for her meetings. On the other hand, when writing specifications, always (and this time I mean always) hyphenate compound modifiers before the words they modify. Is it an exception? The Well-Placed Hyphen: Five Common Hyphenation Traps for Unwary Writers Published on April 19, 2017 April 19, 2017 • 35 Likes • 2 Comments 3) She always comes (well prepared / well-prepared) for her meetings. Remembering Jane Straus | May 18, 1954—February 25, 2011.