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Snarf Posted 14 years ago
Vocabulary

A One Night Stand

Does it matter if someone writes "a one night stand" or "a one-night stand" with the hyphen? They're both the same expression, right? Or is one correct and one wrong? The movie from '97 has it without the hyphen, but I don't know if I should use such things as an example of correctness.

Thanks.
  

Top answer

Hi, I suppose a hyphen would be better. But it's a casual expression, close to slang, so relaxed grammar rules can apply.. Clive

— Clive

  • Hi, I suppose a hyphen would be better.
  • But it's a casual expression, close to slang, so relaxed grammar rules can apply..
  • Clive
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8 Answers
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Hi,

I suppose a hyphen would be better. But it's a casual expression, close to slang, so relaxed grammar rules can apply..

Clive
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Yeah. See, the reason I think both fit in grammar is because "one" can be like an adjective of night, namely, how many nights it was, that being, one, instead of both "one" and "night" being combined as a compound just for describing "stand."
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Hi,

A one-night stand The hyphen makes this clearly refer to a sexual encounter that lasted just one night.
But the phrase is so well-known that it is easily understood without the hyphen.

But consider these examples.
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It is spelled "one-night stand". The hyphen is not optional. The movie got it wrong. This is a simple matter of spelling.

PS - Don't forget "one nightstand".
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enoonIt is spelled "one-night stand". The hyphen is not optional. The movie got it wrong.
Well, it's not just that movie. Look at all these titles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-night stand(d
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Snarf enoonIt is spelled "one-night stand". The hyphen is not optional. The movie got it wrong.Well, it's not just that movie. Look at all these titles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-night stand(disambiguation)
OK, then. Why come here when you can just look everything up in
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I was just playing devil's advocate, trying to get to the bottom of things. Of course I agree with you and Clive. Emotion: smile
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