Dictionary of English Phonesthemes Part 2

Initial-Cluster Phonesthemes Part 1

/p/ (0/12) Imitative of parting the lips. /p/ is a powerful, poignant, piercing plosive that can pop, punch, puff, and pounce. /p/ is a pale, pious, pitiful, piddling, paltry, petty pest.
/p/ (1/12) Explosive Vocal Sounds: pipe, peep, puff, poof, purr, purl (gentle murmuring or bubbling sound like the water of a shallow stream flowing over stones), pop, pash (dash, smash), pat (dab), patter (the quick talk or chatter of a comedian or entertainer, salesman, etc; the slang or private language used by a particular group or class; to repeat mechanically without considering the meaning; to talk volubly but without much sense) {from paternoster}, pitter (make small sounds like a grasshopper), puke,
/p/ (2/12) Explosive Sounds With an Abrupt Onset pop, peep, ping, pow, pitter, patter, peal, puff, ping, ping- pong, pang, pom-pom (machine gun), put-put (old car),
/p/ (3/12) Energy, Strength, Power (see also /pw/): passion, pep, peppy, pith, pert, perk, pomp, power, peerless, pucka (solid; genuine), posture, pyknic (short, stocky, rotund; endomorphic), python, punchy (forceful; spirited),
/p/ (4/12) Words Deriving From the IE root *peuk (prick): impugn (to challenge the integrity or veracity of; attack; to assail by words or arguments, as statements, motives, veracity, etc.; call in question; challenge as false), expunge (cancel; remove; to strike out, obliterate, or mark for deletion; annihilate; delete; edit; rub out), pugilist, pugilistic, pygmy, pungent (having a stiff and sharp point; sharply painful; poignant; caustic; stinging; pointed; telling; causing a sharp or irritated sensation; racy; savory; spicy), pounce (claw; to swoop upon and seize something with or as if with talons; a fine powder formerly used to prevent ink from spreading; a fine powder for making stenciled patterns; emboss; sprinkle), poignant (intense; penetrating; painful; pathetic; piercing; pungent), point, puncture, punctuate, fuck {hypothetical},
/p/ (5/12) Weapons, Fighting, War: poniard (a thin dagger), puncheon (a dagger; a barrel; a carved stamp used by gold smiths; a split log with a smooth face; a marble-working tool), pike (spear, stake, to wound, pierce, or kill by a pike), poke, parry (to ward off a blow; repel; avert; prevent), petard (small explosive device used by military engineers in medieval times to undermine castle walls, break down draw bridges, etc; a case containing an explosive to break down a door or gate or breach a wall; firework), pavis (a large shield of the Middle Ages; to protect with a pavis), pandy (a hit on the hand; to hit on the hand), posse, potshot, pistol, pummel (strike), picket, pillage, pommel (the knob on the hilt of a sword or saber; the protuberance at the front and top of a saddle; either of a pair of removable rounded or U-shaped handles used on the top of a pommel horse; pummel; strike), punish, pyrrhic (achieved at excessive cost; costly to the point of negating or outweighing expected benefits; a metrical foot consisting of two short or unaccented syllables),
/p/ (6/12) Pity, Paleness: pale, pall (altar cloth; something that casts a gloom over an area by covering it; pallium; glut; to cause to be interesting or attractive), pule (whine, whimper), palliate (o reduce the violence of; to cover by excuses and apologies; to moderate the intensity of) {from L pallium=cloak}, pallid (pale; wan; faint or deficient in colour lacking in vitality or interest; ashen), pity, pathos, pathic (a catamite; a passive participator; passive; suffering), passive, peccant (sinning; sinful; faulty; wrong; peccable; guilty of moral offense; violating a rule; liable to break certain social rules; incorrect; inducing disease; guilty of a moral offense), peccable, pensive (musingly, dreamingly, or sadly thoughtful, reflective, speculative, contemplative, or meditative), perish, peril, petty, peasant, pittance (thing of little value; a small portion, amount, or allowance), paltry (trivial; petty; inferior; trashy; mean; despicable; trivial; piddling), piddling, pauper,
/p/ (7/12) Contempt: punk, pimp, patch (fool), peacenik, pud (a child's hand; an animal's forefoot; the penis), palliard (a tricky beggar whose parents were also tricky beggars), pap (soft, mashed, or semiliquid food for babies or invalids; political patronage; vapid literature, etc. with no intellectual content; drivel) pig (police officer), padnag (a horse with a pad instead of a saddle; an ambling nag; to ride such a horse; to amble), pangut (one who is all gut), patsy (a person who is easily manipulated or victimized; sucker), puttock (the European kite; the buzzard; the marsh harrier; a greedy person; a sponger), pest, pyrite, pinchback (imitation gold made from an alloy of copper and zinc; something phony; a cheap imitation), purblind (partly blind; lacking insight or understanding), puerile, ponzi (an investment swindle in which some early investors are paid off with money put up by later ones in order to encourage more and bigger risks), poger (a passive homosexual), piddle (trifle; diddle; to pick at one's food; eat like a bird; dawdle; putter; urinate), pingle (to fiddle or trifle with one's food, showing little interest or appetite), paddle (trifle), peddle (trifle, dally), pain, pish, pablum, piss, poop, penis, pecker, putz (penis), pizzle (a whip made from an animal's penis; the penis itself);
/p/ (7/12) Ostentation, Decoration: pious, parvis (a courtyard; a public brouhaha, so called from being held in a church parvis), pompous, pistic (pure; genuine; pertaining to faith), pennant (any of various nautical flags tapering usually to a point or swallowtail and used for identification or signaling; a flag or banner longer in the fly than in the hoist especially one that tapers to a point; a flag emblematic of championship), pendant (drooping; something suspended), pageant, palace, paraph (a flourish at the end of a signature, once used as a protection against forgery), purfle (an ornamental border or trim), piss-proud (having a false erection, said of an old man with a young wife), pecksniff (a hypocritical, unctuous, selfish, devious rascal who preaches virtue),
/p/ (8/12) Head, Brain: pash (head), pate (head, brain), pan (face), brainpan, pons (band of nerve fibers through which impulses between various parts of the brain),
/p/ (9/12) Affection: peck, pine (yearn; long for one's lover), pamper (pet), penchant (tendency; bias; fondness; leaning; liking), pinch, pander (a go between in love intrigues; a man who solicits clients for a prostitute; some who caters to or exploits the weaknesses of others; to povide gratification for other's desires; lecher; pimp), namby-pamby (weak, indecisive),
/p/ (10/12) Anchored Path or Movement: push, pop, pull, pump, put, pass, path, pick, peck, pop, pad (dull sound of steps), punt, pan,
/p/ (11/12) Plant Part, Etc: pip, pit, pulp, pod, palm, pickle, pomace (the dry or pulpy residue of material (as fruit, seeds, or fish) from which a liquid (as juice or oil) has been pressed or extracted; something crushed to a pulpy mass), pistil (the ovule-bearing organ of a seed plant consisting of the ovary with its appendages), pinder (peanut), peanut, pinda (a ball of rice offered to Hindu ancestors; the West Indian peanut), pumpkin, peach,
/p/ (12/12) Birds: penguin, parrot, pigeon, peacock, partridge, puttock (the European kite; the buzzard; the marsh harrier; a greedy person; a sponger), pipit, paauw (the South African bustard), pen (swan),
/sp/ (0/5) Indo-European symbol. /sp/ spits, spouts, spurts, sputters, spews, and speaks. /sp/ is a spike, a spire, a spur, a spine, and a spear. /sp/ sparkles with spunk, spice, speed, and spirit. /sp/ specially spoils with spud, spam, spackle, and spatula.
/sp/ (1/5) Spit, Spew, Reject: spew, spit, spittle (saliva), spat, spurn (to reject with disdain; refuse contemptuously; scorn; the act of spurning; a kick), spout, spurt, spirt, (issue in a jet, squirt), spatter, spattle, spirtle, sputter (to spit or squirt from the mouth with explosive sounds), spawl (spit coursely), spurtle (burst out, squirt), spat (start up sharply), sput, spung, spong, spume, sputum, spill, sparge (to make moist by sprinkling "the gentle rain ~ed the parched fields"),
/sp/ (2/5) Speaking: speak, speech, spiel, sputter, spill the beans
/sp/ (3/5) Contempt, Blemish: spam, spud, sped, spic (slur for Spanish American), spazz, spoof, special, spy, spendthrift, spoffish (fussy, bustling), spoffskins (a woman with a dubious sexual history who shacks up with a man and poses as his wife), spotty, spoiled, spent, specious, spurious, spinster (bachelorette), spintry (male whore), spitball, sparse, spare, spot, spall (a small fragment or chip especially of stone; to break off chips, scales, or slabs; exfoliate; to undergo spallation), spatchcock (a bird split and grilled immediately after being killed; to prepare a bird like this; to interpolate a phrase; to add by interpolation; a hastily constructed argument), speck, speckled, spackle (powder mixed with water to form a paste and used as a filler for cracks in a surface before painting, to apply spackle),
/sp/ (4/5) Spikiness: spine, spike, spire, spur (a pointed device secured in a rider's heel and used to urge the horse; recognition and reward for achievement; a goad to action; stimulus; something projecting like or suggesting a spur; a projecting root or branch of a tree; a stiff sharp spine (as on the wings or legs of a bird or insect); one on a cock's leg; a gaff for a gamecock; a hollow projecting appendage of a corolla or calyx (as in larkspur or columbine); climbing iron; a ridge or lesser elevation that extends laterally from a mountain or mountain range; a hastey impulse; to urge on with as if with spurs; to incite to action or accelerated growth or development; stimulate; to put spurs on), spear,
/sp/ (5/5) Energy, Life, Jet Movement: spang (spring, leap; to a complete degree; in an exact or direct manner; squarely), spank, spunk (spark; spririted courage; punk), spong (comic sound effect), speed, spice, spirit, spite (petty ill will or hatred with the disposition to irritate, annoy, or thwart; malice; to treat maliciously; annoy; offend), spark, sparkle, spangle (a small plate of shining metal or plastic used in ornamentation esp on clothing; small glittering object or particle; to glitter as if covered by spangles; sparkle), spawn, spore, sperm, spasm (a sudden, violent, involuntary contraction of a muscle or a group of muscles, attended by pain and interference with function, producing involuntary movement and distortion; a sudden but transitory constriction of a passage, canal or orifice), spartle (flounder, kick, or flail about),
/t/ (0/5) Variation of /d/. /t/ titters, teases, tingles, tickles, and titillates. /t/ tumbles topsy-turvy into tempest and turmoil. /t/ tackles with tussles, temper- tantrums, tiffs, and tizzies. /t/ taps into tipsy tankards at the tavern. /t/ is ticked, touchy, tangled, teathered, taut, and tight. /t/ is tepid, timid, temperate, timely, tact, and teetotaling.
/t/ (1/5) Sound Produced By Smart Stroke Against a Body: tap, tink, tinkle, tingle, tittle, tick, tattle, tip, ting, toot, tuck (of a drum), tickle, tang (strike a bell; point; zest), tonk, tut, tick-tack, tittle-tattle, titter (laugh), tootle (frequentative of toot), too-too, tum- ti-tum (sound of drum or stringed instrument when plucked), tirl (to make a rattling or clattering sound by spinning or moving rapidly up and down; to make a string vibrate by plucking it; to pluck a string; to vibrate; peel; to twirl; to rattle; vibration; something that revolves; a rattle; a drinking bout; a fling at dancing), tone,
/t/ (2/5) Excitement, Emotion: tush (exclamation of impatience), tiff (outburst of temper), tosh (sheer nonsense; bosh; twaddle), ticked, tizzy (an anxious state of mind; dither), tussle, tackle, tangle, tumble, topple, turmoil, turbo, turbine, temblor (earthquake, tremor), tantrum, temper, tempest, tempo (rate of speed),
/t/ (3/5) Alcohol: tiff (drink, sip), tipple, tipsy, topsy-turvy, teetotal, tap, tapster (bartender), tavern, tanked (drunk), tankard, tank (to take an unusually long time to decide on a bid or play),
/t/ (4/5) Tininess, Timidity, Restaint: timid, tiptoe, tightrope, tiny, toddick (a very small quantity), tepid (moderately warm), tinge (a slight staining or suffusing shade or color; an affective or modifying property or influence; touch; to color with a slight shade or stain; tint; to affect or modify with a slight odor or taste; to affect or modify in character), tincture, tint, tickle, tease, touch, tit-for-tat, toddler, tyke (an inferior or mongrel dog; a clumsy, churlish, or eccentric person; a small child), tike {variation of tyke}, tad, tidbit, temperance, temperate, tempered, tidy, timely, tact, tardy, tilt,
/t/ (5/5) Land, Cultivation: till, tilth (cultivation of the soil; cultivated land; cultivation; tilled land; tilled earth), tath (cattle dung; grass growing near cattle dung; to fertilize by pasturing cattle), turf, tract, toft (a building site), tundra,
/st/ (0/6) Indo-European symbol. /st/ is stable, stalwart, staunch, steadfast, steady, stolid, stout, and sturdy. /st/ is starchy, steely, stern, stiff-necked, staunch, stubborn, and stuffy. /st/ stalls, stays, sticks, stops, stubs, stumps, and stanches. /st/ stamps, stampedes, starts, startles, steps, stimulates, stings, stirs, stomps, storms, and stuns.
/st/ (1/6) Standing And Stepping: stand, step, stead, sty, stumble, stamp, stomp, stodge (stuff, gorge), stash, (stop abruptly)
/st/ (2/6) Arrest: stall, stay, steady, stick, stop, stub, stump, stanch, stable, staunch,
/st/ (3/6) Implacableness, Rigidity: starchy, steely, stern, stiff-necked, strait-laced, strict, stubborn, stuffy,
/st/ (4/6) Movement, Attacking: stamp, stampede, start, startle, step, stimulate, sting, stir, stomp, stab, stamp, stick, sting, storm, stun,
/st/ (5/6) Reliability, Steadfastness: stable, stalwart, staunch, steadfast, steady, stolid, stout, sturdy, state,
/st/ (6/6) One-Dimensionality: stick, staff, stem, stud,
/St/ (0/1) Yinglish Symbol
/St/ (1/1) Unclassified: shtup (fornicate; have sexual intercourse), schtick (a piece, esp a theatrical piece; a hobby or characteristic), shtick, shtetl (village),
/k/ (0/2) Associated with Indo-European root *kal or *kla). /k/ calls, coughs, cackles, kicks, cuffs, and kisses.
/k/ (1/2) Vocal Sounds: call, cow (after the sound), kiss, chough (crow), cackle, cough, cuckoo, caw, coo, kink (gasp for breath, whooping-cough), cack (excrement)
/k/ (2/2) Movement: cuff (strike with the fist or with the open hand, buffet), kick,
/sk/ (0/2) /sk/ scuffles, skips, scuttles, scoots, scampers, scurries, and skedaddles.
/sk/ (1/2) Quick, Brisk Movement: scour (rush violently), skip, scope (skip), scuttle, scutter, scoot, helter-skelter, skedaddle, scamper, skirr (run away hastily), scurry, scuffle (scrambling fight, tussle), scud
/sk/ (2/2) Flexibility And Two-Dimensionality: scarf, skin, skein,
/b/ (0/3) Imitative of sound made when mouth is opened, softened explosion of sound. /b/ barks, bellows, burps, babbles, buzzes, bawls. /b/ bounces, boings, bumps, bangs, and bashes.
/b/ (1/3) Sound With Abrupt, Relatively Loud Onset: bark, bell, bellow, belch, burp, babble, bumble (buzz), buzz, boom (hum, buzz), bum (hum loudly), bawl, bow- wow, bleat, boh, bo, boo, booh, bull, bat (strike), buss (kiss), bang, beep, boing, bonk (have casual sex with), Big Bang, bomb, bing, bingo [thanks to Jack McGrath ], bash, bang, boom, bop, bing, biff, boing, bounce, bong, bonk, beep,
/b/ (2/3) Movement, With Anchored Path: bob (strike, rap, tap), bang, bump, bum (strike, knock, thump), bash, bubble, burble (bubble), bounce, bungle, botch, burn,
/b/ (3/3) Unclassified: bole [bo:l] (the trunk of a tree); boll [bo:l] (the pod or capsule of a plant, as cotton),
/d/ (1/3) /d/ dashes, dabs, dapples, dithers. /d/ dangles, dodders, and dandles. /d/ is a dead, dull, dumpy dud.
/d/ (1/3) Sound Produced By Dull Stroke Against A Body: din, dash (strike, smash), dump (fall heavily), dab (soft blow), dabble (frequentative of dab, paddle, besputter), dib, dibble, ding (knock, hammer), ding-dong, dod (beat), dindle (tinkle, ring, tingle as with cold or pain), dingle, dud,
/d/ (2/3) Unsteady Movement: didder (quake, quiver), dither, diddle, dodder, daddle (walk totteringly), dapple,
/d/ (3/3) Swinging Movement: ding-dong, dangle, dandle (move lightly up and down)
/g/ (0/1) /g/ gushes, gabs, giggles, and guffaws. /g/ gurgles, gargles, guzzles, and gobbles.
/g/ (1/1) Throat: gulch (swallow, devour greedily), gulp, gush, gaggle, giggle, gabble (jabber), gobble (said of turkey cock), gurgle, guggle, guttle (eat greedily), guzzle (swallow liquor greedily), gargle, gulch (ravine, cleft), gab (talk), gob (talk), gob (mouth, beak), guff (puff, whiff), guffaw, gong {Malay}