Verbal Vistigia has been defined as Words Hanging On By A Single Phrase. There are a lot of words in English that seem to exist only in a single phrase. Some of these are given here. 1) ALECK: smart aleck 2) ASPERSIONS: cast aspersions 3) AVAIL: (noun) to no avail 4) AWEIGH: anchors aweigh 5) BATED: bated breath 6) BECK: at one's beck and call 7) BETWIXT: betwixt and between 8) BIDE: bide one's time 9) BOON: (adj.) boon companion 10) CABOODLE: kit and caboodle 11) CAHOOTS: in cahoots with 12) CONCERTED: make a concerted effort 13) CRANNIES: nooks and crannies 14) DESERTS: (noun) one's just deserts 15) DINT: by dint of will 16) DRUTHERS: if he had his druthers 17) DUDGEON: in high dudgeon 18) DURESS: under duress 19) FIGMENT: figment of one's imagination 20) FLEDGED: full fledged 21) FRAUGHT: fraught with peril 22) FRO: (adv.) to and fro 23) GETGO: from the getgo 24) GRAVEN: graven image 25) HANDBASKET: going to hell in a handbasket 26) HAW: hem and haw 27) HISSY: hissy fit 28) IDES: ides of march 29) INCLEMENT: inclement weather 30) KIBOSH: put the kibosh on 31) KILTER: off kilter 32) KITH: kith and kin 33) LAM: on the lam 34) LIEU: in lieu of 35) NEAP: neap tide 36) OFFING: in the offing 37) PETARD: hoisted by one's own petard 38) PEEVE: (noun) pet peeve 39) RIDDANCE: good riddance 40) SHRIFT: short shrift 41) SLEIGHT: sleight of hand 42) TAT: tit for tat 43) TENTERHOOKS: on tenterhooks 44) THITHER: hither and thither 45) TOTALLER: tea totaller 46) TROTH: plight ones troth 47) UNSUNG: unsung hero 48) VIM: vim and vigor 49) WEND: wend one's way 50) WHET: (verb) whet one's appetite BACK to the Main Page