Dictionary of English Phonesthemes Part 4

Initial Cluster Phonesthemes Part 3

/r/ (0/2) /r/ rings, rattles, rustles, raps, roars, and rumbles. /r/ wrenches, wrests, wrestles, wrings, wrinkles, and wriggles.
/r/ (1/2) Loud, Noisy, Vibrating Sounds: ring (clear sound of hard metal), rattle, roar, rap, ram, rumble, rustle, rabble (speak in a rapid, confused manner), rough (cough), ruckle (rattle in the the throat), rat-tat, rub-a- dub, row-dow-dow (imitation of sound of drum), row-de-dow (din), razzle-dazzle, rash (dash, rush), run, rush (dash) {variant of rash}, rip, rollick, romp, racket (disturbance, loud noise, uproar) {onomatopoeic or from Gaelic racaid},
/r/ (2/2) Twisting, Distortion: wrench, wrest, wrestle, wring, wrinkle, wriggle, reach,
/sw/ (0/4) /sw/ swiftly sweeps, swings, sways, swirls, swims, swoops, swerves, and swooshes.
/sw/ (1/4) Swinging, Swaying: sweep, swing, swingle, swag (move unsteadily, sway, wag), sway, swap (smite, strike), swip, swirl, swagger (frequentative of swag), swinge (brandish, whirl, flog), swat, swash, (pigwash), swish, swoosh, swank (swagger), swoop, swerve (file, scour), switch (whip), swath,
/sw/ (2/4) Drink, Tipple: swig (drink, liquor), swinge (drink), swink, swipe, swizzle,
/sw/ (3/4) Movement Through Air or Water: sway, sweep, swerve, swim, swing, swish, swivel, swoosh, swan, swallow, swift,
/sw/ (4/4) Acoustically Complex Sound: swish, swoosh, swack, swat,
/pr/ (0/2) In some words, a variant of /br/. /pr/ pricks, prickles, and prods. /pr/ prates, prattles, and preaches.
/pr/ (1/2) Pricking, Sharpness: prick, prickle (a thing to prick with), prong, prang (pang), prod, proke prog
/pr/ (2/2) Unpleasant Or Lively Noise: prate, prattle, pribble, prabble (variant of brabble), preach,
/spr/ (0/3) Variant of /sp/ /spr/ springs, sprouts, spreads, sprawls, sprays, and sprinkles.
/spr/ (1/3) Spreading, Springing: spread, sprout, spring, sprawl, springle (sprinkle), sprinkle, besprinkle, bespring (besprinkle), spreng (sprinkle), bespreng (besprinkle), spray,
/spr/ (2/3) Spiritedness, Energy: sprightly, spry, springy, spree, sprint
/spr/ (3/3) Acoustically Complex Sound: sproing, sproink,
/br/ (0/1) /br/ brashly brawls and brabbles as a brat.
/br/ (1/1) Unpleasant Noise: brack (noise, outcry), brag (brack), brawl, brabble (brawl), brangle (brawl, wrangle), brash (sickness arising from disorder of alimentary canal; sudden dash of rain), brat, brake,
/tr/ (0/1) /tr/ treads, trods, tramps, tramples, trudges, trots, and treks down a track on trip. /tr/ trickles in a trough as treacle.
/tr/ (1/2) Simple Path, Treading: tread, trod, trap (originally sound imitative), tramp, trample, trip, troll, trudge, trot, trek, track,
/tr/ (2/2) Liquid: trickle, trough, teacle,
/str/ (0/4) /str/ straddles, strolls, struts, strikes, and strafes. /str/ strives to struggle against stress, strain, and stricture with strength. /str/ straddles, straggles, strands, streams, stretches, strews, and strings out.
/str/ (1/4) Striding: straddle, stroddle (straddle), striddle (straddle), stroll, struggle, strum, strike,
/str/ (2/4) Movement, Attacking: stray, stream, stride, stroll, strut, strafe,
/str/ (3/4) Effort Against Obstruction: strain, stress, stretch, strive, struggle, stricture, restrict, constrict, obstruct, strong, strength,
/str/ (4/4) Stretching Out, Scattering: straddle, straggle, strand, stray, stream, stretch, strew, string out,
/kr/ (0/2) Germanic symbol for twistedness. /kr/ cracks, creaks, croaks, crashes, crushes, crackles, crunches, cricks, and cronks. /kr/ crumples, crumps, crimps, cringes, cranks, crimps, creeps, crawls, and crouches.
/kr/ (1/2) Jarring, Harsh, Grating Sound, with Abrupt, Irregular Onset: crow, crane, crack, creak, crook (croak), crake, crush, crash, croak, crackle, crick- crack (repeated sharp sound), crunk (utter a hoarse, harsh cry, said of birds), crick (sound of grasshopper or the like), crunkle (cry like a crane, frequentative of crunk), crunch, craunch (crunch), cronch (crunch), crank (make a jarring or grating sound), cronk (cry of the wild goose), crumb (sound of a bursting bomb or shell),
/kr/ (2/2) Twistedness, Crookedness, Distortion: crumpled (crooked, curled), crump (curl up), cramp, crimp (shrink, curl), crank, cringe, crinkle, crunkle (crinkle), crankle (run zigzag), crinkle-crankle (wind in and out), crick (spasm of the muscles), creep, crawl, crouch, crisp (curl, twist),
/skr/ (0/3) /skr/ scrapes, scritches, screams, screeches, and scrunches. /skr/ scrubs, scrambles, scribbles, and scrawls.
/skr/ (1/3) Unpleasant, Acoustically Complex Sound: scrape, scritch (screech, shriek), scream, screak (screech), screech, scranch (crunch), scraunch (crunch), scroop (creak, squeak), scrunch
/skr/ (2/3) Irregular Movement: scrape, scratch, scrub, scramble, scriggle (wriggle, struggle), scribble, scrabble (scribble, scrawl), scrawl
/skr/ (3/3) Eke Out, Struggle: scrabble, scrimp, scrape, scratch, scrounge, screw,
/dr/ (0/3) /dr/ drips, dribbles, drools, dredges, drizzles, drops, droops, and drags with the dross, dregs and the dreck.
/dr/ (1/3) Dropping and Driving: drivel, dross, draw, drive, drop, drip, drain, droop, dregs, drag, draggle (frequentative of drag), drib, dribble, dripple, drizzle, drown, drink, drench, drive, dreck, drek {variant of dreck},
/dr/ (2/3) Sound: drum, drawl
/dr/ (3/3) Liquid Motion: drink, drain, drizzle, drop, droop, dredge, drool,
/gr/ (0/2) Probably sound imitative. /gr/ grumbles gruffly, gripes, grouses, growls and grimly grabs, gropes and grapples.
/gr/ (1/2) Deep-Toned, Grumbling, Inimical, or Menacing Noises: grin, grunt, grim, grimly, growl, gruntle, grumble, gruff, groin, grutch, grudge (grumble), grum (glum, harsh), grouse (grumble),
/gr/ (2/2) Grip: grip, gripe, grope, grab, grabble, grapple, grasp
/sfr/ (0/1) Extremely rare
/sfr/ (1/1) Engraved Seals: sphragistic (pertaining to engraved seals), sphragistics (study of engraved seals), sphragide (???), sphragis (body???, image of seal???)
/cr/ (0/1) /cr/ throbs, throttles, throws and thrusts.
/cr/ (1/1) Unclassified: throb, thrum. thrust, throw, throttle, throstle, throng,
/Sr/ (0/5) /Sr/ shrieks and shreds like shrill shrapnel.
/Sr/ (1/5) Unpleasant Sound Or Horribleness: shream (scream), shriek, shrieky, shrill, shrew, shrewish, shrapnel {eponymous}, schrik (a sudden fright or panic), schrecklichkeit (horror, horribleness, devilishness, terribleness),
/Sr/ (2/5) Shrubbery Or Trimming: shred, shragger (a tree trimmer), shrub, shrubbery,
/Sr/ (3/5) Shrinkage: shrink, shrinkage, shrivel,
/Sr/ (4/5) Holiness, Law, Banking: shrine, shrive, shrieve (variant of shrive), shriver (confessor), shrift (act of shriving), Shrove Tuesday, shroom (psychedelic mushroom, to ingest psychedelic mushrooms) sri (fortunate, glorious, beautiful, majestic, and holy; conventional title of respect when addressing or speaking of a distinguished Indian) {Sanskrit}, shri (variant of sri), shree (variant of sri) shrievalty (the office or jurisdiction of a sheriff), shrewd, shroff (to inspect coins, a bank expert who fixes coin valiues, moneychanger, banker), schreinerize (polish),
/Sr/ (5/5) Mysterious Action: shroud, shrug, shred (evidence)
/vr/ (1/1) Energy: vrille (an aerobatic spinning nose dive; to perform a vrille),
/w/ (0/4) /w/ wags, wiggles, waggles, wades, wobbles, and wangles. /w/ whines, whimpers, weeps, whistles, whispers, whirls, whips, whishes, whinnies, whizzes, whiffs, whiffles, whacks, and whooshes.
/w/ (1/4) Unsteady, Uncertain To And Fro Movement: waw, wag, wiggle, waggle, waddle, wade, wobble, wangle (walk unsteadily), wangle (obtain in some irregular way),
/w/ (2/4) Intensity: whish, whoosh, whump, whomp,
/w/ (3/4) Insanity: whacko, wacko, wacky, whacky, whacked,
/w/ (4/4) Air, Breath, Forcible Movement: whine, whistle, whisper, whirl, whip (move the wings briskly), whoop, whap, whop (cast, strike), wheeze, whew (whistle), whish, whimper, whinny, whizz, whiff (puff, whistle), whiffle (blow in puffs), whoo, whicker (snigger, titter), whack, whoof (gruff cry), whang (beat), whing (move up with great force), whuff (sound of a forcible blast or breath of wind), whoosh (soft sibilant sound), wheep (long-drawn sound of a steel weapon drawn from its sheath), whit (sound of a bird), whing (high-pitched ringing sound) {variant of whang},
/pw/ (0/1) See also /p/
/pw/ (1/1) Power, Strength: poilu (a man of great strength and power), puissance, puissant,
/tw/ (0/2) /tw/ twitters, tweets, twirls, twists, twinges, twangs, tweaks, and twittle-twattles.
/tw/ (1/2) Small Sounds, Twisting Movements: twitter, twiddle, tweedle, twang, twank (variant of twang), twingle-twangle, tweet, twattle, twittle (babble, tattle), twaddle (variant of twattle), twitch, twick (pluck), twinge (twitch, pinch), twinkle (sparkle, glitter), twist, twirl, tweak, twiddle (to trifle), twittle-twattle (idle talk), twead, twit, twat,
/tw/ (2/2) Plucking And Tweaking: tweak, twang, twinge, twist, twiddle,
/kw/ (0/2) /kw/ quakes, quivers, quavers, and quacks
/kw/ (1/2) Quaking, Quivering, Shaking: quetch, quake, quern (handmill for grinding grain), quave, quake, quaver, quiver (ablaut variation of quaver), quag {from quagmire}, quash (shake, crush, quell),
/kw/ (2/2) Harsh Bird Sounds: quack, quackle, qua- bird (the Night Heron of North America),
/skw/ (0/2) /skw/ squeals, squeaks, squawks, squirks, and squanks. /skw/ squirts, squabbls, squiggles, squirms, and squeezes.
/skw/ (1/2) Discordant, Eruptive Sound: squeal, squeak, squash (quash), squall (scream discordantly) {variant of squeal}, squish {variant of squash}, squidge {variant of squish}, squitter, squirt, squawk (cry with a harsh note), squirk (half-suppressed laugh, squeak), squank (the sound of a fart),
/skw/ (2/2) Violent, Distorted Movement: squirt, squabble (wrangle, brawl), squirr, squiggle, squirm, squeeze,
/fw/ (0/1) Intensified /w/
/fw/ (1/1) Unclassified: fwack, fwop, phwop, fwoosh,
/cw/ (1/1) Obstruction: thwart, thwack, thwing, thwittle, thwaite (forest land cleared and converted to tillage; a piece of land used as a meadow), thwertnick (according to old English law, entertaining a sheriff for three nights),
/Sw/ (0/1) Intensified /w/
/Sw/ (1/1) Unclassified: shwack, shwoosh,
/m/ (0/4) /m/ murmurs, mutters, mumbles, mews, moos, and munches. /m/ mopes in a mad, muddled, miffed, mean mood /m/ is mired in milky marshy muck, mucus, and merde.
/m/ (1/4) Movements of Mouth, Muttering Sounds: murmur, murr (a form of catarrh), mutter, mumble, mum, munch, mump,
/m/ (2/4) Feelings Characterized by Particular Position of Mouth or Lips: mop (make a grimace), mow (make a grimace), mope (be listless) {probably variation of mop}, miff (fit of ill-humor), miffed, miminy-piminy, mizzle (drizzle), mad, mood, muddle, mean,
/m/ (3/4) Animal Sounds: mew (utter the sound [mjU]), moo, miaow,
/m/ (4/4) Shapelessness, Liquid: mud, mush, mire, marsh, muck, milk, mucus, micturate, mulch, merde, mutate,
/sm/ (0/1) /sm/ smashes, smacks, smooshes, smears, and smells of smut and smegma.
/sm/ (1/1) Distastefulness: smack, smash, smurf, smegma, smut, smoosh, smear, smell,
/Sm/ (0/1) Yinglish symbol
/Sm/ (0/1) /Sm/ is a shmaltzy schmuck and a schmoozing schmo.
/Sm/ (1/1) Contempt: schmooze, schmaltz, schmuck, shmuck, schmeer, schmo, shmo, shmutz, shmegege, shmek,
/fn/ (1/1) Panting, Heavy Breath: fnast (pant, breath), fnese (breath heavily, snore), fnord,
/sn/ (0/2) /sn/ snarls, sneers, snickers, sniffles, sniffs, sneezes, and snorts with a snide, snooty snout.
/sn/ (1/2) Sound and Movement of Mouth, Nose, and Face: snite (clean the nose), snout, snatch, snack, snap, sniff, snore, snort {intensified snore}, snot (mucus of the nose, snuff of the candle), snivel, sneeze, sneer, snuff, snarl, snar (snarl, growl), snicker, snigger {variant of snicker}, sniffle, snip {variant of nip or ablaut variant of snap}, sneap (nip, pinch) {variant of snap}, snick (snip, nick) {variant of nick, influenced by snip}, sneer, snide, snooty,
/sn/ (2/2) Sneakiness sneak, snitch, snoop, snide
/Sn/ (0/2) Yinglish symbol
/Sn/ (1/2) Contempt: schnapps, schnell (fast), schnitz (cut-up and dried apples), schnook (an easy mark), shnook, schnorrer (scoundrel, smooth talker, professional unapologetic panhandler),
/Sn/ (2/2) Nose and Mouth: schnorkel (snorkle), schnozzle, schnoz, schnauzkrampf (a mouth that looks more like a snout), schnauzer (a short haired terrier of a German breed, with a heavy head, heavy eyebrows and beard, and small ears),
/j/ (0/1) /j/ yells, yelps, yaps, yaks, yatters, and yammers.
/j/ (1/1) Loud, Vocal Sounds: yell, yelp, yex, yesk (sob, hiccup, belch), yo-ho, yow (exclamation), yowl, yawl (cry of pain, grief, distress) {variant of yowl}, yawp (yelp, cry harshly), yammer, yap (bark sharply), yaffle (name of green woodpecker), yah (exclamation of disgust), yaw-haw (guffaw), yaw-yaw (talk affectedly), yoho (exclamation to call attention), yoicks (fox-hunting cry urging on the hounds), yoop (sound of convulsive sobbing), yow (cry of cat or dog), yep (a call to urge a horse), yip (cheep as a young bird), yipe, yatter, yak,