1.90 composition of compound nouns

Most compound nouns consist of two nouns, or an adjective and a noun.

• I listened with anticipation to the radio news bulletin.
• ...a big dining room.
• She came in and sat down at the tea-table.
• He was still a freshman in the high school, although he was nearly sixteen.
• Old age is sickness only if one makes it so.

However, a few compound nouns are related to phrasal verbs. These are often written with a hyphen.

• The President was directly involved in a Watergate cover-up.
• The registry office is famous for its turn-over of fashionable weddings.

For more information about phrasal verbs, see paragraphs 3.84 to 3.117.