hout the
hyphen, but see specific rules for use of hyphens.

II Every name apparently composed of a plain noun and a noun of agent or
verbal noun, but really conveying the sense of a phrase with suffix
_er_, _or_, or _ing_, should be treated as a compound; _roller
distribution_.

III Possessive phrases used as specific names (generally plants) are
treated as compounds.

They are hyphenated unless very common, in which case they are
closed up; _crane's-bill_, _ratsbane_.

IV Any phrase used as a specific name in an arbitrary application not
strictly figurative is written as a compound; _blueberry_, _red-coat_,
_forget-me-not_.

V Any pair of words used as one name of which the second is a noun but
the first not really an adjective should be written as a compound;
_foster-brother_, _down-town_, _after-consideration_.

As elsewhere the use of the hyphen depends largely in the
familiarity of the phrase; _spoilsport_, _pickpocket_.

VI Any two words other than nouns should be treated as a compound,
generally solid, when arbitrarily associated as a name; _standpoint_,
_outlook_.

VII A name or an adjective made by adding a suffix to a proper name
compounded of two words should be treated as a compound with a hyphen;
_East-Indian_, _New-Yorker_. If the name is not inflected this rule does
not apply; _East India Company_, _New York man_.

VIII Any pair or series of words arbitrarily associated in a joint sense
different from their sense when used separately, should be compounded;
_workman-like_, _warlike_.

COMPONENTS OF COMPOUNDS

Compounds having the force of nouns may be made up in several ways.

1. Two nouns used in other than their natural signification;
_claw-hammer_.

2. A noun and an adjective used in other than their natural
signification; _great-uncle_, _dry-goods_.

3. A noun and an adverb; _touch-down_, _holder-forth_.

4. A noun and an adverb; _down-draft_, _flare-back_.

5. A noun and a verb; _know-nothing_, _draw-bar_.

6. A noun and a preposition; _between-decks_.

7. Two adjectives; _high-low_, _wide-awake_.

8. Two verbs; _make-believe_.

9. A verb and an adverb; _cut-off_, _break-up_.

10. A verb and a preposition; _to-do_, _go-between_.

Compounds having the force of adjectives may be made up in several ways.

1. A group of words compacted into one idea;
_never-to-be-forgott