Note that compound adjectives describe simple concepts: a good-looking person looks good, and a man-eating beast eats humans. More complex descriptions in English need to be given using a following phrase or clause.
2.96 These are less common and more restricted patterns for forming compound adjectives:
Note that compound adjectives formed according to the last of these patterns are always used in front of a noun.
compound qualitative adjectives
2.97 Here is a list of compound qualitative adjectives:
able-bodied
absent-minded
accident-prone
big-headed
clear-cut
close-fitting
cold-blooded
easy-going
far-fetched
far-reaching
good-looking
good-tempered
hard-up
hard-wearing
ill-advised
kind-hearted
labour saving
laid-back
light-hearted
long-lasting
long-standing
long-suffering
low-cut
low-paid
low-slung
mind-blowing
mouth-watering
muddle-headed
narrow-minded
nice-looking
off-colour
off-hand
off-putting
old-fashioned
one-sided
open-minded
run-down
second-class
second-rate
shop-soiled
short-handed
short-lived
short-sighted
short-tempered
slow-witted
smooth-talking
soft-hearted
starry-eyed
strong-minded
stuck-up
sun-tanned
swollen-headed
tender-hearted
thick-skinned
tongue-tied
top-heavy
trouble-free
two-edged
two-faced
warm-hearted
well-balanced
well-behaved
well-dressed
well-known
well-off
wind-blown
worldly-wise
wrong-headed
compound classifying adjectives
2.98 Here is a list of compound classifying adjectives:
air-conditioned
all-out
all-powerful
audio-visual
blue-blooded
bow-legged
brand-new
breast-fed
broken-down
broken-hearted
built-up
bullet-proof
burnt-out
cast-off
clean-shaven
cross-Channel
cross-country
cut-price
deep-sea
deep-seated
double-barrelled
double-breasted
drip-dry
drive-in
duty-bound
duty-free
empty-handed
face-saving
far-flung
first-class
free-range
free-standing
freeze-dried
front-page
full-blown
full-face
full-grown
full-length
full-scale
gilt-edged
grey-haired
half-price
half-yearly
hand-picked
high-heeled
home-made
ice-cold
interest-free
knee-deep
last-minute
late-night
lead-free
left-handed
life-size
long-distance
long-lost
long-range
loose-leaf
made-up
man-eating
mass-produced
middle-aged
never-ending
north-east
north-west
nuclear-free
odds-on
off-guard
off-peak
one-way
open-ended
open-mouthed
panic-stricken
part-time
present-day
purpose-built
ready-made
record-breaking
red-brick
remote-controlled
right-angled
right-handed
second-class
second-hand
see-through
silver-plated
single-handed
so-called
so-so
south-east
south-west
strong-arm
tax-free
tone-deaf
top-secret
unheard-of
wide-awake
world-famous
worn-out
year-long
compound colour adjectives
2.99 Here is a list of compound colour adjectives:
blood-red
blue-black
bottle-green
dove-grey
electric-blue
flesh-coloured
ice-blue
iron-grey
jet-black
lime-green
navy-blue
nut-brown
off-white
pea-green
pearl-grey
royal-blue
shocking-pink
sky-blue
snow-white
long compound adjectives
2.100 A few compound adjectives are made up of more than two words. Compounds of three or more words are often written with hyphens when they are used in front of nouns, and without hyphens when they are used after a linking verb.
…the day-to-day chores of life.
…a down-to-earth approach.
…a free-and-easy relationship.
…life-and-death decisions.
…a trip to an out-of-the-way resort.
Their act is out of date.
2.101 Some compound adjectives seem rather odd because they contain words that are never used as single words on their own, for example namby-pamby, higgledy-piggledy, and topsy-turvy. Words like these are usually informal.
…all that artsy-craftsy spiritualism.
…his la-di-da family.
foreign compound adjectives
2.102 Some compound adjectives are borrowed from foreign languages, especially from French and Latin.
…the arguments once used to defend laissez-faire economics.
…their present per capita fuel consumption.
In the commercial theatre, almost every production is ad hoc.
Here is a list of compound adjectives borrowed from other languages:
à la mode
a posteriori
a priori
ad hoc
ad lib
au fait
avant-garde
bona fide
compos mentis
cordon bleu
de facto
de jure
de luxe
de rigueur
de trop
ex gratia
hors de combat
infra dig
laissez-faire
non compos mentis
per capita
prima facie
pro rata
sub judice
Comparing things: comparatives
2.103 You can describe something by saying that it has more of a quality than something else. You do this by using comparative adjectives. Only qualitative adjectives usually have comparatives, but a few colour adjectives also have them. Comparatives normally consist of the usual form of the adjective with either -er added to the end, as in harder and smaller, or more placed in front, as in more interesting and more flexible.