Collins Rhyming Dictionary

The rhymes in this section have the ‘oo’ sound of too and cruiser as their main or final vowel sound.

41.1 blew, blue, boo, brew, chew, choux, clew, clue, coo, coup, crew, Crewe, cru, cue, dew, do, drew, Drew, due, ewe, few, flew, flu, flue, glue, gnu, goo, grew, hew, Hoo, hue, Hugh, Jew, jus, Kew, knew, lieu, loo, Looe, Lou, mew, moo, mu, new, nu, ooh, pew, phew, poo, pooh, Pooh, Pru, Pugh, Q, queue, roo, Roo, roux, rue, screw, shoe, shoo, shrew, Sioux, skew, slew, smew, sou, spew, sprue, stew, strew, sue, Sue, thew, threw, through, to, too, true, two, U, view, who, Who, woo, yew, you, zoo

41.2 taboo, Magoo, ado, to-do, undo, tattoo, kung fu, yahoo, halloo, Carew, Peru, Theroux, accrue, unscrew, untrue, construe, askew, adieu, subdue, undue, anew, pursue, canoe, kazoo, bamboo, shampoo, ragout, snafu, brand-new, Camus, lasso, cachou, cashew, Manchu, Barcoo, mangetout, thereto, whereto, K2, HQ, chez nous, hereto, redo, redrew, EU, shih-tzu, in lieu, withdrew, bestrew, imbue, miscue, bedew, endue, review, revue, renew, ensue, eschew, Typhoo®, sky blue, IQ, non-U, Corfu, outdo, outgrew, Lao-tzu, pooh-pooh, boohoo, yoo-hoo, Who’s Who, true-blue, * Winnie the Pooh, how-do-you-do, hullabaloo, Brian Boru, Kalamazoo, tickety-boo, didgeridoo, seventy-two, Catch-22, tiramisu

41.3 Bantu, Andrew, thank you, Askew, statue, Matthew, value, Agnew, sandshoe, ZAPU, Yahoo, argue, Cardew, KANU, ZANU, Anjou, hairdo, Nehru, aircrew, breakthrough, debut, ague, set-to, ecru, ECU, fescue, rescue, nephew, menu, venue, virtue, curfew, world-view, curlew, purlieu, lean-to, Hebrew, see-through, read-through, preview, emu, Jesu, bijou, Hindu, into, igloo, mildew, sinew, Vishnu, issue, tissue, haiku, onto, fondue, Honshu, corkscrew, walk-through, horseshoe, Urdu, coypu, tofu, snowshoe, unto, thumbscrew, run-through, sundew, gumshoe, cuckoo, guru, woodscrew, boo-boo, hoopoe, doo-doo, hoodoo, kudu, voodoo, Hutu, tutu, Tutu, froufrou, Lulu, Zulu, choo-choo, juju, * devalue, revalue, shiatsu, Daihatsu, hereinto, thereinto, in situ, continue, jujitsu, atishoo, reissue, impromptu, sudoku, hereunto, thereunto, Mobutu, KwaZulu, * Vanuatu, undervalue, Tamil Nadu, Nosferatu, Netanyahu, Papandreou, R2-D2, Machu Picchu, discontinue, Mogadishu, Ouagadougou, Desmond Tutu, Honolulu

41.4 marabou, marabout, Xanadu, black and blue, jackeroo, kangaroo, acajou, Katmandu, passe-partout, ingénue, Malibu, Cariboo, caribou, ballyhoo, avenue, parvenu, parvenue, carcajou, barbecue, Martinu, Bakerloo, pay-per-view, déjà vu, eighty-two, navy blue, well-to-do, FAQ, Dien Bien Phu, derring-do, twenty-two, Pettigrew, residue, clerihew, retinue, revenue, Herstmonceux, thirty-two, curlicue, bird’s-eye view, peekaboo, sgian-dhu, Peterloo, feverfew, VDU, bill and coo, hitherto, thitherto, vindaloo, jillaroo, misconstrue, interview, kinkajou, billet-doux, fifty-two, sixty-two, Timbuktu, ninety-two, IOU, cockatoo, wallaroo, Montague, rendezvous, Montesquieu, Molyneux, follow-through, Waterloo, ormolu, Port-Salut, Pompidou, forty-two, talking-to, Fortescue, Autocue®, royal blue, overdo, overdrew, overthrew, overdue, overview, overshoe, Sutton Hoo, buckaroo, W, honeydew, Luton Hoo, superloo, toodle-oo, Tuvalu, superglue, Subaru, Uluru, Scooby Doo, you-know-who, * tu-whit tu-whoo, Bartholomew, * cock-a-doodle-doo

41.6 duke, fluke, kook, Luke, nuke, puke, souk, spook, stook, * Farouk, peruque, archduke, Chinook, rebuke, * Mameluke, Marmaduke, Heptateuch, Pentateuch, Hexateuch, Volapük, * gobbledegook

41.9 booed, brewed, brood, Bude, chewed, crewed, crude, dude, feud, food, glued, Jude, lewd, mewed, mood, mooed, nude, prude, pseud, queued, rood, rude, screwed, shrewd, slewed, snood, spewed, stewed, Strood, sued, viewed, who’d, wooed, you’d, * tattooed, allude, collude, occlude, conclude, unglued, accrued, unscrewed, protrude, obtrude, subdued, pursued, shampooed, lassoed, delude, elude, preclude, seclude, include, exclude, intrude, extrude, denude, exude, reviewed, renewed, ensued, pooh-poohed, * catfood, valued, argued, étude, rescued, prelude, Gertrude, seafood, issued, dogfood, wholefood, * devalued, revalued, continued, * habitude, attitude, gratitude, latitude, platitude, aptitude, altitude, amplitude, magnitude, lassitude, barbecued, hebetude, rectitude, plenitude, Ermintrude, turpitude, certitude, servitude, interlude, misconstrued, interviewed, quietude, Holyrood, longitude, promptitude, solitude, fortitude, multitude, pulchritude, * beatitude, ingratitude, exactitude, decrepitude, correctitude, ineptitude, incertitude, similitude, solicitude, vicissitude, inquietude, disquietude, desuetude, * verisimilitude, etc.

41.10 goof, hoof, pouffe, proof, roof, spoof, woof, * shadoof, aloof, Tartuffe, re-roof, behoof, reproof, disproof, * flameproof, rainproof, shellproof, heatproof, greaseproof, windproof, fireproof, childproof, lightproof, shockproof, mothproof, bombproof, stormproof, soundproof, showerproof, rustproof, sunroof, foolproof, * shatterproof, weatherproof, waterproof, ovenproof, underproof, bulletproof, * opéra bouffe

41.12 Goodge, huge, Scrooge, smoodge, stooge, * refuge, deluge, * centrifuge, vermifuge, subterfuge

41.14 Boole, boule, cool, drool, fool, ghoul, Goole, joule, mewl, mule, pool, Poole, rule, school, shul, spool, stool, Thule, tool, tulle, who’ll, you’ll, Yule, * uncool, cagoule, self-rule, deschool, retool, misrule, tomfool, O’Toole, home rule, * Blackpool, ampoule, capsule, playschool, cesspool, Welshpool, ferrule, schedule, cellule, whirlpool, virgule, preschool, globule, module, nodule, toadstool, pustule, footstool, tubule, * reschedule, * majuscule, paddling pool, graticule, fascicule, gallinule, Hartlepool, vestibule, reticule, work-to-rule, Liverpool, minuscule, swimming pool, ridicule, Pontypool, molecule, overrule, Ullapool, Sunday school, ubercool, supercool

41.15 cooled, fooled, Gould, pooled, ruled, schooled, * unschooled, retooled, * air-cooled, scheduled, * unscheduled, rescheduled, nonscheduled, * ridiculed, water-cooled, overruled, supercooled, etc.

41.16 fools, gules, Jools, Jules, mules, pools, rules, schools, spools, stools, tools, * capsules, globules, modules, nodules, pustules, etc.

41.17 bloom, boom, broom, coomb, cwm, doom, flume, Frome, fume, gloom, groom, Hume, loom, plume, rheum, room, spume, tomb, vroom, whom, womb, zoom, * abloom, perfume, assume, subsume, consume, Khartoum, exhume, entomb, simoom, presume, resume, foredoom, * taproom, chatroom, vacuum, barroom, darkroom, guardroom, staff room, bathroom, classroom, heirloom, dayroom, playroom, stateroom, saleroom, salesroom, legroom, bedroom, headroom, guest room, rest room, pressroom, legume, workroom, perfume, tearoom, greenroom, sickroom, grillroom, bridegroom, stockroom, strongroom, boxroom, washroom, costume, volume, broadloom, storeroom, boardroom, wardroom, courtroom, ballroom, houseroom, showroom, cloakroom, post room, clubroom, sunroom, mushroom, lunchroom, poolroom, schoolroom, newsroom, * catacomb, va-va-voom, anteroom, waiting room, changing room, hecatomb, dressing room, engine room, elbowroom, Leverhulme, disentomb, sitting room, living room, dining room, nom de plume, common room, drawing room, powder room, boiler room

41.18 bloomed, doomed, fumed, groomed, loomed, zoomed, * perfumed, assumed, consumed, exhumed, entombed, presumed, resumed, * unperfumed, unconsumed, etc.

41.19 boon, Boone, coon, croon, dune, goon, hewn, June, loon, moon, Moon, noon, prune, rune, Scone, shoon, soon, spoon, strewn, swoon, toon, Troon, tune, * baboon, cocoon, raccoon, dragoon, lagoon, Muldoon, platoon, buffoon, Colquhoun, balloon, saloon, doubloon, maroon, oppugn, attune, commune, Dunoon, bassoon, lampoon, Rangoon, Sassoon, harpoon, lardoon, cartoon, festoon, retune, spittoon, impugn, immune, jejune, tycoon, typhoon, High Noon, pontoon, Walloon, quadroon, poltroon, monsoon, Kowloon, * sand dune, Neptune, teaspoon, tribune, commune, forenoon, fortune, soup spoon, * dessertspoon, importune, misfortune, * Saskatoon, Pantaloon, macaroon, Cameroon, afternoon, tablespoon, Brigadoon, rigadoon, picayune, octoroon, opportune, coffee spoon, Lorna Doone, honeymoon, * inopportune, Tutankhamun, autoimmune

41.20 crooned, mooned, pruned, spooned, swooned, tuned, wound, * dragooned, marooned, unpruned, attuned, untuned, lampooned, festooned, etc.

41.21 dunes, loons, prunes, runes, spoons, tunes, * balloons, doubloons, cartoons, eftsoons, * pantaloons, afternoons, tablespoons, etc.

41.22 coop, coupe, croup, droop, drupe, dupe, group, hoop, loop, poop, scoop, sloop, snoop, soup, stoop, swoop, troop, troupe, whoop, * regroup, recoup, Ind Coope, * playgroup, hencoop, peer group, subgroup, Woop Woop, newsgroup, * cantaloupe, Guadeloupe, nincompoop, cock-a-hoop, Hula Hoop®, supergroup

41.23 groups, hoops, loops, oops, troops, * Kamloops, subgroups, * paratroops, Hula Hoops®, etc.

41.24 Bruce, deuce, goose, juice, loose, moose, mousse, noose, puce, schuss, sluice, spruce, truce, use, Zeus, * caboose, papoose, unloose, Larousse, abstruse, obtuse, abuse, adduce, produce, traduce, conduce, vamoose, profuse, burnous, reuse, recluse, excuse, deduce, reduce, seduce, induce, diffuse, effuse, ill-use, disuse, misuse, * wayzgoose, refuse, verjuice, prepuce, lime juice, mongoose, produce, footloose, couscous, * calaboose, Antabuse®, mass-produce, Ballets Russes, charlotte russe, self-abuse, lemon juice, reproduce, Beetlejuice, Betelgeuse, introduce, orange juice, over-use, under-use, * reintroduce, overproduce

41.25 boost, deuced, Proust, roost, sluiced, used, * produced, unused, deduced, reduced, induced, mot juste, * langouste, * mass-produced, self-induced, introduced, * reintroduced, overproduced, etc.

41.26 douche, louche, ruche, * farouche, cartouche, * Scaramouche, * Ashby-de-la-Zouch

41.27 beaut, Bute, boot, brut, brute, butte, chute, coot, cute, flute, fruit, hoot, jute, Jute, loot, lute, moot, mute, newt, root, route, scoot, shoot, Shute, snoot, suit, toot, ut, ute, * pollute, salute, cheroot, uproot, compute, acute, astute, confute, commute, permute, Canute, pursuit, Salyut, transmute, square root, Beirut, reboot, re-route, recruit, depute, repute, impute, dispute, refute, dilute, minute, en route, solute, * jackboot, taproot, statute, tracksuit, catsuit, pantsuit, grapefruit, playsuit, spacesuit, breadfruit, wetsuit, sweat suit, shell suit, freeboot, beetroot, bean shoot, tribute, swimsuit, Paiute, drysuit, offshoot, lawsuit, lounge suit, gumboot, club root, sunsuit, choucroute, droop-snoot, zoot suit, * attribute, contribute, distribute, * absolute, passion fruit, parachute, bandicoot, attribute, arrowroot, resolute, execute, destitute, birthday suit, persecute, kiwi fruit, dissolute, disrepute, institute, convolute, prosecute, prostitute, constitute, comminute, bodysuit, autoroute, overboot, overshoot, undershoot, troubleshoot, substitute, * irresolute, electrocute, reconstitute, * redistribute

41.28 boots, Boots, brutes, flutes, fruits, hoots, Jutes, Rootes, roots, shoots, suits, * cahoots, salutes, commutes, recruits, * jackboots, statutes, bean shoots, tributes, slyboots, gumboots, * attributes, institutes, prostitutes, etc.

41.29 couth, Ruth, sleuth, sooth, strewth, tooth, truth, youth, * uncouth, untruth, vermouth, forsooth, half-truth, * Redruth, milk tooth, eyetooth, sawtooth, dogtooth, hound’s-tooth, bucktooth, * snaggletooth, sabretooth

41.31 groove, move, prove, who’ve, you’ve, * approve, behoove, reprove, improve, disprove, remove, * disapprove, microgroove, countermove, tongue-and-groove

41.32 grooved, moved, proved, * approved, unproved, unmoved, reproved, improved, disproved, removed, * disapproved, unapproved, unimproved

41.33 Bewes, blues, booze, bruise, chews, choose, clues, cruise, cruse, Cruz, do’s, dues, Druze, fuse, Hughes, Jews, lose, Lou’s, mews, muse, Muse, news, ooze, Ouse, pews, queues, ruse, schmooze, screws, shoes, snooze, Sue’s, thews, trews, use, views, who’s, whose, zoos, * tattoos, peruse, canoes, abuse, accuse, contuse, perfuse, suffuse, confuse, amuse, transfuse, reuse, defuse, excuse, diffuse, effuse, refuse, infuse, enthuse, reviews, ill-use, bemuse, misuse, Hormuz, Toulouse, * Andrews, statues, Matthews, values, nephews, virtues, Hebrews, Jesu’s, Hindus, sinews, issues, tissues, horseshoes, Lulu’s, Zulus, booze cruise, * St Andrews, * kangaroos, Santa Cruz, avenues, barbecues, Veracruz, disabuse, interviews, Syracuse, IOUs, over-use, under-use, * Bartholomew’s, hypotenuse, * rhythm and blues, etc.

41.34 boozed, bruised, cruised, fused, mused, oozed, snoozed, used, * perused, abused, accused, confused, amused, unused, reused, defused, excused, refused, enthused, ill-used, bemused, disused, misused, * overused, under-used, unamused, etc.

42.1 bluey, chewy, Dewey, dewy, fluey, gluey, gooey, hooey, Hughie, Louis, phooey, screwy, booby, looby, newbie, Newby, ruby, Boothby, droopy, gloopy, groupie, loopy, NUPE, Snoopy, soupy, fluky, kooky, Newquay, spooky, Sukie, boogie, Googie, broody, foodie, Judy, moody, Moody, Rudi, Trudi, Tuesday, beauty, bootee, booty, cootie, cutie, duty, fruity, snooty, goofy, Sufi, groovy, movie, toothy, smoothie, Beaulieu, coolie, coulis, Dooley, duly, goolie, hooley, Julie, mooli, newly, puli, Thule, truly, googly, brusquely, crudely, rudely, shrewdly, smoothly, coolly, loosely, muesli, hugely, Jewry, blueberry, gloomy, knew me, plumy, rheumy, roomy, Clooney, Cluny, loony, moony, Moonie, puny, Rooney, spoony, uni, goosy, juicy, Lucy, cutesy, tootsy, Tutsi, bluesy, Boosey, boozy, choosy, floozy, newsy, oozy, Pusey, snoozy, Susie, woozy, sushi, Gucci, smoochy, Fuji, * Drambuie®, St Louis, chop suey, Saluki, kabuki, adzuki, bouzouki, Suzuki, Yehudi, agouti, Djibouti, Carnoustie, unruly, unduly, patchouli, Grand Coulee, Friuli, acutely, astutely, minutely, profusely, halloumi, excuse-me, Debussy, Zanussi, Jacuzzi®, Brancusi, Baluchi, Vespucci, * mildewy, sinewy, * Rapa Nui, boogie-woogie, Punch and Judy, tutti-frutti, Bertolucci, absolutely, resolutely, * ultima Thule, etc.

42.2 brewer, chewer, doer, Dewar, ewer, fewer, hewer, newer, sewer, skewer, skua, viewer, wooer, * tattooer, pursuer, reviewer, * wrongdoer, * revenuer, evildoer, interviewer, Rotorua, * Nicaragua, * knew her, pursue her, etc.

42.3 Cuba, goober, scuba, tuba, tuber, uber, blooper, BUPA, cooper, Cooper, Cowper, grouper, Hooper, looper, pupa, scooper, snooper, stupa, stupor, super, trooper, trouper, whooper, * peasouper, * mosstrooper, storm trooper, * paratrooper, party pooper, pooper-scooper, super-duper, * dupe her, etc.

42.4 euchre, Luca, lucre, snooker, cougar, Kruger, Luger, * verruca, bazooka, babushka, beluga, * Chattanooga, * Juan de Fuca, * spook her, rebuke her, etc.

42.5 brooder, Cooder, cruder, Judah, lewder, ruder, shrewder, Tudor, cuter, fluter, fruiter, hooter, looter, neuter, pewter, Pooter, rooter, router, scooter, shooter, suitor, tutor, Brewster, booster, rooster, * Barbuda, Bermuda, excluder, intruder, Laputa, accoutre, polluter, computer, acuter, astuter, commuter, recruiter, disputer, refuter, * mouthbrooder, sharpshooter, freebooter, peashooter, * barracuda, draught-excluder, Buxtehude, persecutor, prosecutor, troubleshooter, * supercomputer, telecommuter, * booed her, shoot her, etc.

42.6 hoofer, loofah, roofer, woofer, groover, Hoover®, louvre, mover, Luther, Uther, smoother, soother, * manoeuvre, Vancouver, improver, remover, * outmanoeuvre, * opera buffa, * move her, soothe her, etc.

42.7 Beulah, cooler, hula, moolah, ruler, tooler, bugler, doodler, Louvre, thuja, junior, * Tallulah, pre-schooler, Petula, vicuña, * water cooler, hulahula, Brahmaputra, Kama Sutra, Zarathustra, hallelujah, * cool her, fool her, etc.

42.8 bloomer, boomer, duma, humour, puma, rumour, Sumer, tumour, crooner, lunar, Oonagh, Poona, pruner, schooner, sooner, spooner, Spooner, tuna, tuner, Una, * Nkrumah, perfumer, consumer, mazuma, satsuma, costumer, lacuna, lampooner, vicuna, Futuna, * baby-boomer, Montezuma, honeymooner, * Tristan da Cunha, * groom her, festoon her, etc.

42.9 juicer, looser, sprucer, Susa, boozer, bruiser, chooser, cruiser, loser, snoozer, Sousa, user, fuchsia, future, moocher, smoocher, suture, * producer, transducer, reducer, seducer, inducer, abuser, accuser, Medusa, diffuser, refuser, infuser, misuser, St Lucia, Perugia, * Appaloosa, babirusa, reproducer, introducer, Lampedusa, Arethusa, * lollapalooza, * seduce her, excuse her, etc.

42.11 Bewick, Buick, cubic, pubic, Rubik, toothpick, broomstick, bootlick, Kubrick, rubric, Ugric, Munich, Punic, runic, tunic, music, muzhik, * cherubic, scorbutic, acoustic, refusenik, * therapeutic, hermeneutic, Finno-Ugric

42.12 Rubik’s, toothpicks, broomsticks, tunics, * acoustics, spondulix, refuseniks, * therapeutics, hermeneutics

42.13 Clwyd, druid, fluid, Cupid, stupid, schoolkid, boogied, Euclid, putrid, humid, tumid, deuced, lucid, * pellucid, Seleucid, * semifluid, superfluid

42.14 leeward, skewered, steward, snookered, wounded, booted, fluted, hooted, muted, neutered, rooted, suited, tutored, boosted, roosted, louvred, rumoured, * alluded, concluded, protruded, deluded, secluded, included, excluded, untutored, polluted, saluted, uprooted, unsuited, reputed, disputed, refuted, diluted, ill-humoured, good-humoured, * attributed, contributed, distributed, * unpolluted, convoluted, undisputed, persecuted, prosecuted, constituted, undiluted, etc.

42.16 crewel, cruel, dual, duel, Ewell, gruel, jewel, newel, Newell, Sewell, rouble, tubal, cupel, duple, pupal, pupil, scruple, ducal, bugle, Dougal, frugal, fugal, Google, googol, boodle, doodle, feudal, noodle, poodle, strudel, Bootle, brutal, footle, pootle, rootle, Tootal®, tootle, rueful, fruitful, truthful, youthful, tuneful, useful, neutral, ouzel, crucial, Trucial, * accrual, refuel, renewal, eschewal, bejewel, septuple, centuple, sextuple, quintuple, octuple, quadruple, archducal, McDougall, caboodle, canoodle, flapdoodle, refutal, unfruitful, untruthful, approval, removal, communal, tribunal, perusal, bamboozle, refusal, preputial, * Pantagruel, biofuel, febrifugal, centrifugal, vermifugal, apple strudel, Yankee Doodle, disapproval

42.18 brougham, Newham, Newcombe, dukedom, scutum, sputum, hoodlum, Newnham, Woosnam, gruesome, twosome, toothsome, * jejunum, * grew ’em, shoot ’em, etc.

42.19 bruin, ruin, shoo-in, lupin, Tutin, moulin, Newlyn, lumen, * Rasputin, illumine, * bilirubin, highfalutin, * doin’, foolin’, etc.

42.20 Ewan, Siouan, Cuban, Reuben, Lucan, toucan, Luton, gluten, Newton, Teuton, Euston, Houston, Huston, proven, Doolan, union, crewman, human, Newman, Schumann, Trueman, Truman, schoolman, Jewson, loosen, Susan, fusion, * McGoohan, McLuhan, McEwan, Don Juan, Barbudan, Bermudan, Laputan, unproven, communion, reunion, nonunion, prounion, subhuman, inhuman, ichneumon, contusion, perfusion, profusion, suffusion, confusion, allusion, collusion, occlusion, conclusion, protrusion, obtrusion, transfusion, diffusion, effusion, infusion, delusion, illusion, preclusion, reclusion, seclusion, inclusion, exclusion, intrusion, extrusion, pollution, solution, ablution, locution, Confucian, Aleutian, dilution, * superhuman, malocclusion, Rediffusion®, disillusion, absolution, allocution, attribution, elocution, revolution, resolution, retribution, execution, destitution, restitution, persecution, devolution, evolution, dissolution, distribution, Lilliputian, institution, diminution, convolution, contribution, prosecution, prostitution, constitution, Rosicrucian, substitution, * electrocution, irresolution, * intercommunion, antipollution, redistribution, reconstitution, circumlocution, interlocution, high-resolution, * counter-revolution

42.22 fluent, truant, prudent, student, mutant, coolant, movement, lucent, usedn’t, Nugent, * pursuant, imprudent, pollutant, disputant, recruitment, improvement, entombment, inducement, amusement, translucent, recusant, * jurisprudent, self-improvement, disentombment

42.23 truants, prudence, Prudence, students, movements, nuisance, usance, * pursuance, imprudence, pollutants, disputants, inducements, amusements, translucence, * jurisprudence, etc.

42.24 brewing, chewing, doing, Ewing, gluing, hewing, mewing, mooing, queuing, screwing, spewing, stewing, viewing, wooing, tubing, drooping, grouping, looping, snooping, swooping, trooping, whooping, puking, brooding, feuding, wounding, booting, fluting, hooting, looting, rooting, scooting, shooting, suiting, tooting, Tooting, boosting, roosting, proofing, roofing, moving, proving, sleuthing, smoothing, soothing, cooling, drooling, fooling, mewling, ruling, schooling, tooling, doodling, shoestring, blooming, booming, fuming, grooming, looming, zooming, crooning, Kooning, mooning, pruning, spooning, swooning, tuning, loosing, sluicing, bruising, choosing, cruising, losing, musing, oozing, snoozing, using, mooching, smooching, * undoing, accruing, pursuing, canoeing, shampooing, reviewing, ensuing, regrouping, rebuking, alluding, concluding, protruding, including, excluding, polluting, saluting, computing, commuting, recruiting, disputing, refuting, approving, unmoving, reproving, improving, removing, assuming, consuming, presuming, resuming, communing, reducing, seducing, abusing, accusing, confusing, amusing, excusing, refusing, bemusing, * wrongdoing, trapshooting, sharpshooting, * valuing, rescuing, issuing, scheduling, vacuuming, * continuing, rescheduling, * parachuting, persecuting, highfaluting, nonpolluting, prosecuting, troubleshooting, disapproving, ridiculing, unassuming, reproducing, * telecommuting, etc.

42.25 Lewes, Lewis, Louis, pubis, hubris, kumiss, Eunice, Souness, Tunis, * Day-Lewis, Anubis, * anacrusis

42.26 lupus, Lucas, mucous, mucus, Judas, Brutus, Eustace, Rufus, clueless, shoeless, viewless, tubeless, bootless, fruitless, rootless, ruthless, toothless, moonless, tuneless, useless, cuprous, humus, newness, crudeness, rudeness, shrewdness, cuteness, smoothness, coolness, * arbutus, astuteness, Confucius, * elude us, rule us, etc.

42.27 doest, newest, crudest, lewdest, rudest, shrewdest, cutest, smoothest, coolest, soonest, loosest, sprucest, * acutest, astutest, etc.

42.28 Uist, cubist, nudist, UWIST, UMIST, * tattooist, canoeist, balloonist, bassoonist, cartoonist, * absolutist, parachutist, opportunist

42.29 Hewish, Jewish, bluish, newish, shrewish, prudish, soup dish, Jutish, brutish, moonfish, coolish, foolish, ghoulish, mulish, * Ballachulish

42.30 Blewitt, cruet, Hewitt, suet, cubit, toolkit, Newgate, bluetit, moonlit, unit, Puget, * intuit, septuplet, sextuplet, quintuplet, quadruplet, * subunit, * tempus fugit, * do it, lose it, etc.

42.32 cubits, bluetits, units, * septuplets, sextuplets, quintuplets, quadruplets, * Massachusetts, etc.

42.33 allusive, conclusive, obtrusive, abusive, conducive, elusive, inclusive, exclusive, intrusive, effusive, * inconclusive, unobtrusive

42.34 brewers, viewers, Tudors, juniors, bloomers, rumours, tumours, Bruce’s, uses, bruises, cruises, losers, * reviewers, Bermudas, intruders, computers, commuters, consumers, accusers, * paratroopers, baby-boomers, honeymooners, etc.

42.36 puberty, cruelty, cruelly, frugally, brutally, neutrally, crucially, suitably, fluently, prudently, humanly, fruitlessly, ruthlessly, brewery, blueberry, Newbury, Tewkesbury, Dewsbury, Shrewsbury, Bloomsbury, dupery, brusquerie, foolery, usury, jewellery, euphony, numeracy, lunacy, fluency, truancy, eulogy, crudity, nudity, unity, moodily, snootily, gloomily, musically, stupidly, lucidly, beautifully, dutifully, foolishly, unitary, luminary, mutiny, scrutiny, ruefully, fruitfully, truthfully, usefully, usually, mutually, * unsuitably, presumably, reputedly, inhumanly, tomfoolery, pecuniary, perfumery, buffoonery, festoonery, delusory, illusory, fiduciary, salutatory, accusatory, innumeracy, acuity, vacuity, fatuity, gratuity, annuity, congruity, fortuity, credulity, salubrity, community, impunity, immunity, disunity, cherubically, confusedly, bemusedly, conclusively, obtrusively, abusively, inclusively, exclusively, approvingly, accusingly, confusingly, amusingly, pituitary, untruthfully, unusually, * centrifugally, indisputably, microbrewery, persecutory, revolutionary, ambiguity, assiduity, perspicuity, perpetuity, ingenuity, incongruity, promiscuity, contiguity, continuity, superfluity, incredulity, insalubrity, opportunity, importunity, unobtrusively, disapprovingly, unassumingly, * circumlocutory, discontinuity, * counter-revolutionary, etc.

42.37 dueller, jeweller, cupola, fruiterer, usurer, juniper, Boudicca, Jupiter, crucifer, Lucifer, tubular, uvula, * Methusaleh, * executioner

42.38 Nubia, croupier, droopier, loopier, spookier, moodier, fruitier, snootier, groovier, uvea, Julia, nuclear, chewier, screwier, gloomier, roomier, junior, punier, juicier, choosier, * alluvia, effluvia, abulia, peculiar, perfumier, costumier, petunia, Seleucia, minutia, * dyscalculia, antinuclear, thermonuclear, Andalusia, etc.

42.39 doable, chewable, viewable, mutable, scrutable, suitable, movable, provable, superable, tunable, crucible, Crucible, usable, fusible, tubercle, pubertal, humeral, numeral, funeral, Juvenal, gluteal, fluvial, pluvial, cubicle, cuticle, utricle, musical, beautiful, dutiful, usual, mutual, * renewable, computable, commutable, unsuitable, imputable, disputable, refutable, inscrutable, unprovable, improvable, disprovable, immovable, removable, insuperable, manoeuvrable, innumerable, consumable, presumable, deducible, reducible, unusable, confusable, reusable, excusable, delusional, connubial, marsupial, alluvial, diluvial, unmusical, unusual, * unrenewable, nonrenewable, executable, indisputable, irrefutable, substitutable, reproducible, irreducible, inexcusable, institutional, constitutional, pharmaceutical, attitudinal, latitudinal, longitudinal, pari-mutuel, * unconstitutional

42.41 Hughenden, Lutheran, mutagen, Nubian, Boolean, Julian, union, Lucian, Rubicon, hooligan, Newington, Houlihan, unison, UNISON, * Danubian, trade union, alluvion, Peruvian, Vesuvian, Acheulian, cerulean, communion, Mancunian, Réunion, Neptunian, reunion, nonunion, prounion, Malthusian, Carthusian, Venusian, * postdiluvian, Zarathustrian, Andalusian, * antediluvian, Soviet Union, intercommunion

42.43 nutrient, lubricant, fumigant, jubilant, rudiment, supplement, nutriment, muniment, ruminant, * exuberant, protuberant, accoutrement, insouciant, communicant, concupiscent, * disillusionment

42.44 nutrients, jubilance, rudiments, ruminants, * exuberance, protuberance, insouciance, concupiscence, etc.

42.46 humourless, tuberous, uterus, humerus, humorous, numerous, usefulness, ruthlessness, dubious, studious, beauteous, duteous, gluteus, Julius, nucleus, Junius, Lucius, ludicrous, ruinous, moodiness, glutinous, mutinous, snootiness, luminous, numinous, juiciness, scrupulous, cumulus, tumulus, * Vesuvius, salubrious, lugubrious, caduceus, Manutius, gratuitous, circuitous, fortuitous, aluminous, voluminous, leguminous, bituminous, unscrupulous, * insalubrious, impecunious, platitudinous, multitudinous, pulchritudinous, altocumulus, stratocumulus, cirrocumulus, etc.

42.47 droopiest, loopiest, spookiest, moodiest, fruitiest, snootiest, grooviest, chewiest, screwiest, gloomiest, roomiest, puniest, juiciest, choosiest, etc.

42.48 duellist, feudalist, Eucharist, humorist, futurist, lutenist, unionist, Unionist, humanist, pugilist, * consumerist, phillumenist, illusionist, * revolutionist, evolutionist

Rhymes in sayings

The use of rhyme is not restricted to poems and songs. Many sayings and slogans are made memorable in this way, e.g. ‘Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight’, ‘No pain, no gain’, ‘A Mars a day helps you work, rest, and play’, ‘Coughs and sneezes spread diseases’. Rhyme is also found in many everyday words and phrases. Some of these are well-established compounds made up of two parts that are now meaningless on their own, e.g. fuddy-duddy, hanky-panky, helter-skelter, mumbo-jumbo, namby-pamby, nitty-gritty. Others are newer coinages in which both parts have meaning and are chosen because they rhyme. Here are some examples:

blast from the past

booze cruise

chalk and talk

chick flick

culture vulture

doom and gloom

fair and square

fat cat

gender bender

highways and byways

hire and fire

horses for courses

latest and greatest

make or break

meals on wheels

name and shame

nearest and dearest

pooper-scooper

pub grub

snail mail

surf and turf

thrills and spills

wear and tear

wheel and deal

42.50 mutually, usually, tutelary, funerary, numeracy, * exuberantly, peculiarly, indubitably, unusually, innumeracy, * institutionally, constitutionally, supernumerary

42.51 insuperable, innumerable, dutiable, communicable, indubitable, * incommunicable

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