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#202933 10/24/11 04:47 PM
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etymology of the "murder" portion of this animal-gang term is fuzzy at best. Do any of you wordies care to venture an opinion/research? Would appreciate.

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even the OED is uncertain on this, but suggests perhaps alluding to the crow's traditional association with violent death, or, as suggested in quot. 1939, to its harsh and raucous cry.

on a related note..
Four scholars at Oxford were making their way down the street, and happened to see a group of ladies of the evening. “What’s this?” said the first. “A jam of tarts?” “Nay,” said the second, “an essay of Trollope’s.” “Rather, a flourish of strumpets,” advanced the third. “No, gentlemen,” concluded the last. “Here we have an anthology of pros.” [thanx to Quinion]

tsuwm #202942 10/25/11 01:45 AM
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Too bad they weren't reading at the time. (anthology of prose)

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well, thank you, Rhonda O. wink

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Never saw this before : A murder of crows.
Looked it up. How clever we are to put the blame elsewhere since it's not the crows that do the murders (except steal eggs and tiny creatures for food). It's them that clean up our murders from war and other kills. So to they seem to me sooner a shift of crows.

tsuwm #202951 10/26/11 12:37 AM
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[bow] laugh

tsuwm #202962 10/26/11 12:56 PM
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You may call me Rhonda any time you like, sir. :^)

Jackie #202971 10/27/11 10:34 AM
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I looked it up too and found more

Collective Words

a 'lounge of lizards' tickled my fancy.

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Fancy...fancy. There oughta be something that could be. Let's see-- a fancy of...fools?

Jackie #202989 10/28/11 12:36 PM
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I like that Jackie laugh

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